Frozen
by Hunger4Righteousness
Summary: When Roxanne goes missing during some of the worst winter weather MetroCity has ever seen, everyone naturally blames the city's infamous blue alien. He's perfectly happy to take credit for the storm, but... where is his victim, just when he needs her most? An illustrated fic in collaboration with eleathyra of deviantART. UPDATE: an epilogue.
1. Missing

_This story was created for a contest by artist eleathyra to go along with a series of Megamind art she posted on deviantART. Her work is amazing and certainly inspiring. I found the contest details late in the game and so I was really scrambling for the deadline, but luckily for me she liked my particular inspiration and chose my fic to win her contest! So here it is, with links to the artworks where they belong in the story. You can also find details of a very special offer related to the combined story and art on her page there. Thank you, eleathyra, and thank you, readers and reviewers! Look for the other stories entered in the contest here on Fanfiction and on deviantART._

* * *

Megamind sat down with his afternoon espresso, fingers automatically moving in the direction of the remote control. He adjusted their path and reached for the sugar bowl instead, telling himself he wasn't going to watch the news today. He'd told himself the same thing yesterday, but then he had. He'd said it the day before as well. But then he'd found himself staring at Roxanne on the screens without even realizing he'd turned them to channel eight.

Watching the news had proven to be a habit he couldn't quite shake. And why should he, he argued with himself. Keeping up with current events was very useful. Kept an aspiring Overlord on the edge, finger on the pulse of the city he had vowed to rule someday. And it wasn't like she'd know if he was watching or not. Or care probably. Not watching wasn't going to punish _her_ in any way.

He stirred morosely, dragging his spoon through the fragrant black liquid… then with a scowl he grabbed the remote, pressed the buttons, and tossed it to one side of the console. As the bank of monitors tuned in to the KMCP signal, he calmly added another heaping spoonful of sweetener to his cup.

Espresso. A dark drink for a dark mind. Liquid energy. Complexity tinged with bitterness. _Just like me._ He took a sip and made a face, then felt his considerable ears perk.

"… over to I-75 later tonight."

_What? A stand-in?_ He pouted. She must be out working on her _other_ story. Scowling, he leaned forward, eyes looking this way and that, unable to decide whether to reach for more sugar or the remote.

"Thanks, Erin. And speaking of the snow, let's go over to our own Dale Condor in the weather center and get the lowdown on what's happening. Dale?"

"Well, Pat, I wish I had better news for you, but it just doesn't look good for Metro City."

Settling back down, Megamind decided it might be worth listening after all.

Moving to stand in front of a green screen map crowded with symbols and arrows, the meteorologist proceeded to try to explain for the umpteenth time that week something he himself didn't really quite understand. Just when winter ought to be starting to lose its grip, that menace of Metro City had struck. And the change he was somehow sustaining in the local atmospheric conditions over the city had precipitated a major shift in the usual weather pattern of the lakeside town and surrounding area. It was affecting nearly a quarter of the state in fact. "And thanks to this artificial disruption, it looks as though Mother Nature is about to ramp things up even more."

He proceeded to warn the viewing audience of impending calamity in the form of blizzard conditions forming over the lake. Moisture laden air was rapidly being sucked their way due to the continually falling barometric pressure and, greatly intensified by the effects of whatever mysterious machinations Megamind had in place, it was ready to wreak wintery havoc the likes of which had not been seen in the Metro area since the Great Blizzard of '78.

Smugly satisfied by the prediction of doom, Megamind smiled down at his coffee cup, treating himself to an extra, self-congratulatory spoonful of sweetness. That was a welcome bit of good news. Things were shaping up even better than expected.

"Erin, any sign of the impending storm out there yet?"

The view shifted to the unfamiliar reporter standing next to a busy highway where road conditions were clearly hazardous. Cars and trucks crept along narrow channels in the snow past yet another pileup. Holding the edge of her hood closer to her cheek and lifting her microphone higher, the young woman's eyes narrowed against a sudden gust of frigid air as well as the hard glint of the white crystalline ground. "Nothing specific yet, Pat. Although it does feel like the temperature has dropped even further just in the time we've been standing here."

The sun went behind a cloud as flakes began to fall around her again. Erin shuffled a little, trying not to let it be obvious that she was moving her feet to keep them from freezing solid. She would remember next time that they weren't in the shot anyway, and she could forego the snazzy little boots she had on for something less fashionable but with better insulation. She wished she hadn't bothered worrying about how she looked at all. Her carefully brushed and sprayed hair had to be covered by her hood and what did show was being blown to bits and covered in flakes. Her face felt frozen, the carefully applied makeup waxy on her cold skin. She regretted the decision to wear her favorite red wool peacoat, no matter how sharp it looked on camera. Next time she wouldn't let her vanity stop her from choosing something better suited to the weather.

"Is there any word yet on who this 'Ice Queen' is?"

Erin shook her head, raising her voice to be heard as a heavy truck passed. "So far the police have no leads. No one's been able to unravel that mystery. And honestly, no one even seems to know if the Ice Queen is really a _who_ to begin with."

The blue alien scowled in the dimness of his Lair, watching the dark liquid swirl around his spoon. _Oh, she's a who._

"Experts have revealed that the handwriting seen around town in blue paint is certainly Megamind's," Erin was explaining. "And while no one is quite sure why he keeps attributing the damages to being 'courtesy of the Ice Queen', I certainly hope he doesn't really think the people of this city are stupid enough to believe there's anyone behind all of this mess besides him." That's how Roxanne did it, always standing up to the wicked villain as bold as brass.

"Oh, of course not. We're not quite as gullible as he'd like to think we are!" the anchor insisted fearlessly from behind his desk. "But I think we can all have hope that this will be over soon anyway considering that we have you standing in for Roxanne Ritchi this afternoon." He cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. "And we all know what that means."

"Yes, Pat," the field reporter agreed with a rueful smile, "I'm afraid so."

Although she harbored no ill will toward Roxanne, the junior journalist had given an excited fist pump upon hearing that she would be the plucky lady's replacement for the afternoon. For one thing, it gave her some coveted time in front of the camera. And for another, it meant the showdown was near at hand and hopefully with it, the end of the extraordinary cold snap Megamind had cast upon the city right when they'd all been looking forward to the arrival of spring.

"Well, I'll be the first to wish her good luck! Glad it's not me!" Pat the news anchor chuckled comfortably from the warmth of the station, giving his desk a mild slap. "My sympathies to her for having to be out in this cruel weather and with its cruel master as well." There were times he was actually a little jealous of all the attention the perky newshound garnered, but this was definitely not one of them.

Erin the stand-in reporter blinked against the white flakes now building up on her eyelashes. "Well, Pat, I'm sure Metro Man will do his best to wrap things up a.s.a.p. this time. I bet not even _he_ wants to stay out in _this_!" One fat mitten gestured toward the snowy scene behind her shivering, ruby-red form.

Megamind sat frozen, spoon forgotten as it hovered over his coffee. Even being called the master of the weather hadn't really registered. What did they mean? _He_ didn't have Roxanne. And she wasn't at work? So where was she?

* * *

ART: "The News" ...art/The-News-363748230

**Although it wasn't part of the Frozen series, I liked that shot of him so well, I had to put it in. ;)

Get more information on how to see the picture on my profile page.


	2. The Overlord's New Clothes

Hurrying to bay four Megamind felt exceedingly testy. What was this all about? If she was out working on this other story she'd mentioned, then her colleagues would certainly have known, so why would they be suggesting that he had kidnapped her? But apparently they thought she was with him. And she wasn't. So where was she?

"Great, Just great," he muttered. "She disappears right when we're this close to being ready." Striding through his cavernous base, he recalled their last meeting and wondered if it had anything to do with her absence.

Their pre-battle interactions had quickly evolved from a time when he hadn't bothered to explain anything to her, simply strung her up as bait after realizing she was the focus of his nemesis's attention. How typical of Mr. Perfect to find a pretty trinket he could hang on his arm, and yet how advantageous for him! Affection was a weakness a villain could always make good use of.

Next he realized he could seed her news reports by indulging in a little evil monologuing prior to the hero's arrival. But to his consternation, she'd never been content to listen meekly, cowed and impressed. She just couldn't keep that sassy mouth shut! Oh no! Not the dauntless Roxanne Ritchi who never shrank from an opportunity to get in the thick of things, intent on rising through the ranks of the TV news elite! Well, he could at least appreciate that kind of ambition.

And once they began engaging in that swift repartee prior to Metro Man's arrivals, he was surprised at how savory he found the exchanges in spite of her scathing tongue. She was sharp-witted and quick. She tested him, and he liked the challenge. He always enjoyed a challenge, so few and far between for someone of his massive intellect.

A worthy adversary in her own right, the limited conversation, if it could be classified as such, was as welcome as a fresh breeze after the barrage of canned comebacks he endured from the slab of meat calling himself the city's savior. And while the familiarity of his and Minion's like-mindedness was certainly useful in their collaborations and living conditions, after years of having only each other to talk to, even merely trading insults with Roxanne stimulated his brain in a most pleasurable way.

Their initial interactions were of a highly adversarial nature, impudent little minx that she was. Curt and caustic, her attempts at meanness had only amused him. She had no idea just how conditioned he was to insults. But then, little by little, they seemed to enter into each round of tit for tat with more obvious enjoyment. He remembered noticing her eagerness for the first time. A sparkle in her eye. And then the teasing had crept in.

He'd told himself he was only trying to ruffle her considerable composure, and that she was simply trying to throw him off his game. But it didn't really matter. The first time he allowed himself to be a bit more suave, more suggestive… and had heard her rise to the bait and return the overtures smoothly and easily, he was startled. Then intrigued. Could she really enjoy _flirting_? With _him_?

He wasn't sure at first if his perceptions were correct, and so he had to test them of course. Over and over. And in time an understanding seemed to be forged between them. Or so he thought. They could indulge to a degree. They both knew the rules. Nothing would come of it. The boundary between good and evil would not be breached. But it was extremely enjoyable nonetheless, testing the limits, feeling the tension mount, sending his brain into overdrive with the keen awareness of every word, every subtle intonation, deciphering and dancing along that invisible line with her before one or the other would finally pull away or that puffed up peacock interfered.

Maybe he'd lost focus. He could admit that much. What happened between them before the hero's arrival was never, _ever_ spoken of and therefore open to misinterpretation. Yes, that's what had happened. He'd been fooling himself, allowing himself to think that she…

Realizing his steps had slowed, he frowned and picked up his pace until it matched his agitated emotional state once more. He had made a mistake, clearly. Lately he'd been creating plans with more interest in the opportunity to engage her than the muscle bound brute who was his sworn enemy. Who could blame him for that? The big lug was about as interesting as warm vanilla pudding. But it was a mistake he wasn't going to make anymore. And, ok, maybe he had been a bit lax about coming up with original ideas of late. But she hadn't needed to be so mean about it.

Suddenly finding himself in the massive work bay, his musings were cut short by the sight of Minion holding the defrost gun on himself, standing in the warmth of its lowest setting with his eyes closed, smiling as though he was enjoying a hot shower.

"Minion! Are you just down here screwing around or what?"

"Oh!" Startled by the unexpected visit, the fish switched off the glowing red weapon. "Sorry, boss. I was just… thawing out a little. It's freezing down here. The doors got stuck open, and my hydraulics keep seizing up."

"Oh that's just peachy. First Roxanne goes missing, and now I find you down here goofing off." Eyes narrowed in frustration, he complained in the general direction of the ceiling, "Doesn't anyone realize how important timing is?"

"Roxanne's missing?"

Megamind threw up his hands. "Apparently! They had a stand-in for her. I don't know where she is," he complained, stomping a few paces away, "but they assumed she's here with us."

Minion blinked in surprise. "Oh. Must be out working on that other story."

Megamind directed such a scathing glare his way, the little fish cowered in his tank. His boss had been exceptionally touchy about the reporter ever since their last meeting.

"If she was, they wouldn't have suggested that I have her, now would they?" With a wave of his arm, a little coffee slopped onto the floor, and he realized he was still holding his cup. Setting it down, Megamind turned a critical eye on their construction and planted his fists on his narrow hips, watching the brainbots steadily adding on to it. "It's not big enough yet. Keep going. And hurry up," he demanded. "Mother Nature is on our side for once, and I mean to take full advantage of it."

"Really? What's happening?"

"Oh, it's perfect, Minion. You won't believe it! Metrocity is about to get hit by a massive blizzard," the alien gloated, finally seeming to be pleased about something.

"Oh, they say that every year," Minion demurred. "Every time we're supposed to get snow, that weather guy starts screaming about it being 'the Storm of the Century' or some nonsense. Gets everybody excited about feet of accumulation and then… phfft! We get an inch. If anything. All the kids excited about school being canceled and then nothing happens."

Megamind glowered. "Minion… have you forgotten just who owns a certain satellite bristling with spikes and secret weaponry? One ominously trained on this very area of the country?"

"Uh, no, Sir. That would be you."

"Mhmm, very good." Megamind clasped his hands behind his back and paced like a teacher addressing a particularly dim-witted student. "And have you forgotten the hours of calculation and reconfiguration we put in, turning said satellite into a weather deconstructing ray?"

"I do seem to recall something like that," the fish answered playfully, eyes rolled upward as he tapped a metal finger to his bowl.

"Yes. And now thanks to _moi_ and said climate collapsing apparatus – which is working better than I ever expected - this time, the buffoon is actually right!" Megamind stopped, looking smug. "And if we can get _this_ finished," he added, gesturing in the direction of their work in progress and chuckling, "we'll give the city a showdown they'll never forget right about the time it hits." His green eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Snowing, blowing, freezing, whiteout… and a monster attacks the city! I can't wait to see Metro Man get his knickers in a twist, his hair all mussed up, trying to deal with the pandemonium!" He indulged in an appropriately evil laugh. "And then… the defrost gun! Poof! Just like a marshmallow."

"But what about Ms Ritchi?"

The corners of the blue alien's mouth turned down immediately. "Exactly," he growled. "We're about to have the perfect conditions timed with putting the final touches on the construction of my masterpiece of winter mayhem… and she's nowhere to be found." He wanted to be sure she of all people would be there for it.

"Sir… don't you think… the whole Ice Queen thing is-"

"We've talked about this."

Seeing his boss's truculent pout, the fish proceeded gently. "Seems a little unnecessary. I mean, I really don't think she meant to hurt your feelings. Maybe she was just having a bad day or something."

"Hurt my feelings?" he practically shouted. "I _have_ no feelings in this black hole of a heart! Stop questioning my motives!"

His henchman sighed. "Wonder where she is. Car trouble maybe?"

Megamind stood hunched over, tapping his fingertips along his folded arms. How dare Minion talk about his _feelings_. No more feelings!

Something else was bothering him though. The more he thought about Roxanne's absence from work, the more agitated he became. Turning away from the fish, he tried to imagine where the reporter might be. In traffic? What, since this morning? Silly. She would have called into work on her little cellular phone. Unless she had been involved in an accident. The roads were full of them, thanks to him, and his stomach gave a sudden flip-flop. What if she was stuck somewhere? In need of help? Possibly hurt. _Well, what if? Am I evil or not?_ The staccato tapping of his fingers along his arm stopped. He knew what he had to do.

"I don't know where she is. But that's why I came down here. She can't run away and hide right when we're about to prevail! It's not fair. Come on. We're going out to find her."

"What? Us? Come on, Sir." Minion glanced over at the bay's double doors partway open to the blue sky. The sun was shining again, but snow continued to blow inside, drifting into the opening. "I'm sure she's just… taking a day off. Out getting a manicure? Coffee with a friend?"

"If that was all, they wouldn't have mentioned her absence the way they did. They would have known she was having a day off instead of insinuating that she's been kidnapped."

"Well..." the fish struggled to think of another excuse. "Metro Man will find her. That's his job."

Megamind shook his head, looking thoughtful. "Apparently wherever she is she's not calling for help, and even if he saw the broadcast he's probably assuming they're right. That we have her. He'll just wait for the destruction to begin."

"Well, that's a good sign if she's not calling for help. Oh! I bet she saw that weather report early and holed up somewhere to make it harder for us to find her. She's been pretty good lately about guessing when we're going to be picking her up, and she probably doesn't want to go out in this weather any more than I do." He ducked slightly as his boss directed a disgusted look his way.

"Minion, you can be such a pansy."

"Hey! I'm the one who's cold-blooded here! It's easy for you, but -"

"Easy? Look at this head!" He pointed out his baldness, knowing full well where a body loses most of its heat.

"Well… I'm in water!"

"Your tank is heated!"

"It's barely keeping up! Especially with those doors open! Look at that snow blowing in. It's not even melting."

Megamind scowled over the annoyance but involuntarily shivered. There always seemed to be some little inconvenience or other that he had to suffer along with the rest of the general population because of his plans. That just didn't seem right but so far he hadn't been able to avoid it. His temper rose another notch.

"Oh fine! Stay here, if you're such a fragile fry! I'll go looking for her all by myself. _Someone_ has to get our victim back in line. You're probably right, and she's just being difficult. Pretty sneaky of her to let her colleagues think she's been kidnapped already. Gives her the day off completely. Except that she won't have expected that _I_ have uncovered her little scheme and am coming to get her!"

He shook his massive head. "She always underestimates me. Well! I'll make it clear that she can't just go off any time she feels like it when we have a tight schedule to stick to." Turning from his monologue back to his assistant, he chided, "And if you're not up for a teensy jaunt out in a bit of snow, I'll just do it myself." He pressed his fingertips to his chest with a put-upon expression. "All alone. You may continue working on this and keep an eye on the news in case she shows up. And it had better be ready when I get back. Timing, Minion. _Time_-ing."

"I got it. I got it. Can I at least fix the doors and close them?"

"Of course not!" If he had to go out in the cold alone, Minion was going to suffer here too. "There's no time to spend on that. Plus the lower temperature is helping grow Queenie there. But get the bots onto sweeping that snow out, will you? What a mess."

Minion's jutting lower teeth protruded even more. "Your ears are going to freeze, you know," he grumped, knowing his boss refused to wear any covering on his head and that his delicately shaded ears did tend to suffer from the cold. "Absolutely freeze."

But Megamind was deep in thought again, distracted as he looked the defrost gun over and thought about Roxanne. It wasn't right that she was working on another story. What could be more fascinating than reporting on _him_? And here he was about to unleash a new wave of terror on the city, one created purposely with her in mind, and she wasn't going to be around for it. It was completely unacceptable! And slightly more disturbing, it was simply out of character for her to be missing from work. She was inordinately dedicated to her job. The more he thought, the more he vacillated between being irritated and being worried. Finally his sidekick's comments registered.

Minion was right. He did so hate having cold ears. But he refused to let a hat grace his magnificent dome! Not after the last time when he'd donned the Helmet of Havoc during the RoboBears scheme. Those news anchors had all been so mean, laughing and pointing fingers. So, no more hats! And anyway, he mustn't deprive the populace of the sight of his massive blue glory. They didn't get to gaze upon it nearly often enough. It was freezing out though. How could he protect his tender flesh in the bitter air?

Turning swiftly, he called out, "Wardrobe." A small group of bots flew to him. Two held a portable curtain on a ring. The one given the privilege of handling his clothing reverently carried a new suit and cape.

"No, no. The other one."

They stopped. Three red eyes on stalks looked at him and then at each other, clearly perplexed.

"You know. For winter," he chided.

The valet bot's eye tipped to one side as it gave a bowg.

Megamind sighed and rolled his eyes. "With the fur..."

Minion stared as the head bot finally nodded and flew away to retrieve the nearly forgotten outfit its master was requesting. "That suit? You hate that suit. You wouldn't even let me finish it."

"Well, at least my ears will be warm," Megamind snapped. He did not like it, but desperate times and all that. If he couldn't keep his ears protected from the top down, he would warm them from the collar up. And since he was already feeling so irritated, he might as well take it to the limit and dress in the ridiculously fuzzy apparel he despised and let his ire be stoked further. Why not!

Once the unfamiliar set of clothing was brought out and donned, Minion watched his boss emerge from the curtain and walk over to the snow blowing in through the doorway as though testing the outfit's insulative value once more. He was surely more than just annoyed by the reporter's absence if he was willing to venture out in this getup. In fact, as he watched the blue alien staring outside he finally noticed just how concerned he really looked.

Where could she be? And why was she working on anything other than him? _He_ was supposed to be her beat, and having her attention directed elsewhere put her very inconveniently out of reach at times like this, as well as… He stopped himself, unwilling to admit he had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. No! He straightened his spine.

"It's not so bad, Sir. Still fits you very well," the fish ventured, casting a critical eye on his handiwork. He had designed the outfit with the comfort of a young aspiring alien going out and menacing a metropolis in the worst winter weather in mind. The suit's only metal adornment was an early design variation of the M logo, a few spikes on the shoulders, a buckle or two. "And it does look warm. That fur trim… has to…" He stopped, catching sight of the hard stare from over his friend's shoulder. "Do you want me to try to put the rest of the spikes on real fast?"

"There isn't time." Megamind spun around. "The storm's coming and… Uh!" Trying to take a step, he stumbled and nearly fell on his face. The extra long cape had twisted around his legs. Kicking impatiently until his feet were free, he realized he would have to turn and sweep harder to make the train stay behind him the way it should. "And this _isn't_ going to be a public appearance."

Striding to a nearby tool cart, he selected a few useful items then realized there wasn't even a place to carry them or attach them to his belt. Muttering under his breath, he put everything back but decided he had to grab a can of knockout spray before he left. He would just throw it in the car. He didn't want Roxanne to see him if he could help it. She'd be the first to laugh.

"Sir?"

He turned to look at his sidekick who stood with hands clasped together in front of his primate body.

"Do you think… she really could be in trouble?"

Anxiety flashed across the blue face but was quickly concealed by a scowl.

"I think she really is a pain in the butt. How inconsiderate! What about our agreement? What about-"

"Wait," Minion interrupted. "You have an agreement?"

Megamind stopped. Had he said that? "Of course we don't have an _agreement_. I mean, it's not like we signed some contract stating, 'I, Megamind will terrorize you, Roxanne Ritchi, and you will report faithfully on all my evil plans.' If we had, I'd have included a screaming clause. But we do… you know, we do have an understanding."

A bit of heat rose into his cheeks as he admitted what he'd been thinking all along. But why did it make him feel embarrassed? He shouldn't have to explain himself to his minion, but that didn't stop more words from tumbling out.

"I need her for my schemes, and she needs me for her career. Think about it, Minion. It's so…obvious, it doesn't need spelling out! We need each other! Enough that there doesn't need to be some piece of paper to confirm it!"

He paused, looking uncomfortable. "But here she is ruining the balance of things. And besides inconveniencing us, if she has gotten herself in some kind of trouble… Well, I can hardly be seen _rescuing_ her like some lame-ass do-gooder, can I?" He demanded peevishly. "But I simply must get her back in play if we want this plan to pan out."

_I don't really need her… but she needs _me_! Yes, that's it. She's built her entire career on me_. He liked that idea, that Roxanne needed him. Filled with a sense of his own benevolence, he smiled. _I'm really being quite generous. Doing her a favor making her part of my designs. _But then why did the thought of her working on other stories cause a small, hard ache in his chest?

Deciding it was far past time to get moving he turned toward the door, immediately missing the satisfactory kick-ass thump and feel of his usual biker style footwear. The layer of insulation Minion had added to the unfamiliar boots he now wore gave them a softer, almost buttery feel that he found incompatible with the attitude needed for going out and wreaking havoc, but they had performed well in cold weather testing and he would need that today. Not that he had to like it.

It was just that the whole ensemble felt too… too soft. All comfy and cozy. The furry edge on the high collar was certainly warm, but it tickled along his ears in a way that made him feel silly inside. He thought the rings of fuzz around the top of the gloves and boots looked ridiculous even though Minion had pointed out that it kept snow from getting inside them. And worst of all he felt vulnerable without his usual complement of spikes. His aquatic tailor had argued that they would interrupt the insulation of the outfit, wicking the cold in toward his skin. Eventually Megamind had prevailed upon him to add some hardware to the shoulders at least but then had decided to simply ditch the whole thing. It just rubbed him the wrong way. But that perfectly matched his mood just now.

"Oh. And I'll just take this along too." He snatched up the defrost gun and gave his henchman a warning look. (ART: Frozen) "No slacking while I'm gone."

"I wasn't going to!"

"So annoying," he muttered, stalking out. "Inconsiderate! Interrupting my important plans for the afternoon…" He glanced at his coffee cup as he passed, now stone cold. But try as he might to keep his irritation puffed up, it kept deflating with that prickle of anxiety that refused to go away.

* * *

ART: Frozen art/Frozen-354695739

By the way, I happen to adore the winter outfit Eleathyra gave him in the artwork! But he looks so peeved in some of those pictures, heheh, and I thought it would be an interesting idea to make the outfit itself part of the reason for his bad mood. But really, that soft fur trim next to his blue skin just makes you want to pet him.


	3. The Ice Queen Cometh

Tossing his weapon over to the passenger side, Megamind slid into the Hudson and adjusted the seat, pulling it forward with a loud ratcheting from the extremely rearward position required by his hefty henchman. Then he brought it to life with a twist of the key, listening to the satisfying purr of the engine a moment before putting it in gear.

Where to start looking, he wondered, leaving the Lair behind and touching the button that would shield the vehicle from view before heading instinctively toward the downtown area. Packed snow covered by a layer of loose powder made driving a little trickier than usual but he only smiled, thinking of the headaches he had caused to the city's daily commuters and transportation system.

Roxanne had let her annoyance with the progressive success of his plan show. She had appeared in her daily reports beside each new "closed" sign that week – closed streets, broken water mains, canceled events, businesses shut – with a sour expression of irritation and choice words for the blue menace. She seemed put out with the deviation from his usual M.O., striking fast and bringing things quickly to a head. This time he was drawing it out, enjoying the lead up.

He suspected she was hoping to goad him into acting sooner, but he wasn't having that. He held the city in an iron fist and was crushing it at his leisure. And watching Metro Man dashing around like a fairy, putting out little fires here and there, shoring up the city by inches was so gratifying. It had gotten to the point he'd stopped showing up for every little thing and appeared to be saving himself for the big event.

Little did Megamind know that his nemesis had grown so weary of the tedium of the relatively petty problems the severe weather had produced that he had given himself the day off and was at that moment rocking out in his subterranean apartment with an electric guitar. A set of high powered headphones stoppered his ears to the incessant calls for assistance that had assailed him hourly since the storm began by blasting his caterwauling at decibels that would have caused permanent deafness to the average human.

But the wayward alien was aware of none of this and at that moment was driving along, reflecting with satisfaction on the irony of seeing Roxanne's scowl broadcast beside every 'Closed' sign over which he had spray painted the enigmatic slogan, 'Courtesy of the Ice Queen'. He gave an amused snort. Wait until they all realized where they could place their blame this time. Wait until he revealed the climax of his e-vil plan, when the whole city's attention and annoyance would be redirected onto her! Oh, he couldn't wait to have his retaliation fully realized! Getting under her skin had been very satisfying, but now it was time to wrap things up on the cusp of this very convenient blizzard. _Thank you, Mother Nature!_ But instead of being able to move things right along now and enjoy his revenge, here he was dealing with the annoyance of having to go out looking for her!

Maybe Minion had it right, and she had made herself scarce on purpose and was taking her ease. With narrowed eyes, he steered the car in the direction of one of her favorite stops. Pulling up outside, he peered through the window of the well-lit shop, seeing women still inside conducting business despite the weather. It was amazing how difficult it could be to deter a woman from her beauty maintenance routine. Roxanne was a good example. One of the times she had been most irate with him was when his kidnapping had caused her to miss an appointment to get her hair cut. With the last of the day's light glaring off the snow and slush speckling his side window as well as condensation on the shop's storefront glass, he strained to see if his quarry was among the patrons.

* * *

"So then he said we weren't going if the roads were that bad. It wasn't worth it. And, boy, was I mad! Wasn't worth it? I'd just bought that dress, you know-"

"Uh huh…" the stylist murmured, continuing to squirt solution on rolls of hair.

"And now I wasn't even going to get to wear it! I was hot, let me tell you! But… Oh! Oh! OH MY GOSH!"

Catching sight of the way the blood had drained from her client's face as she stared in the mirror, the stylist put a hand on her shoulder in concern. "Connie? What is it? What's the matter?"

"It's him! I thought I saw him!"

"Who, honey?"

"That- that - Meg-… Megamind!" she yelped like an excited terrier, raising a hand to point at the reflection in the mirror. "He was right there! I saw it! That blue- big- big, blue head!"

Turning to look out the big front window behind them, the hairdresser frowned. "I… think maybe these fumes are getting to you," she said doubtfully.

"It was really him!"

"Oh now… you know, I think it's just that with so much talk about this weather… and you know he's to blame… and being upset about not going to that show…" She tried to fan the overpowering chemical odors from her excited patron.

* * *

Megamind sat in the idling vehicle. Oops. Well, that had been a mistake. Judging by the expression on that woman's face she had caught a glimpse of him when he'd rolled down the window trying to get a better look. He reassured himself that she couldn't have seen his fuzzy togs and pulled away from the curb. His infuriating little journalist hadn't been among those present after all.

Next he rolled slowly past the coffee shop where he often saw her sipping and chatting with friends. More than once he had sat impatiently biding his time, waiting to pounce. Watching the friends smile and giggle. Seeing her sharing some story and staring at the way she leaned back and smoothly crossed her legs. She never relaxed like that around him. Was she talking about him? He sometimes daydreamed about how pleasant it would be if he could sit and enjoy her company like that. But now he thought of his cold brew abandoned at home. Like she'd ever unbend to have so much as a drink of water with him! Once upon a time he had let himself toy with the possibility, but after that last exchange… His brow furrowed, and he sped up. Not there either.

He wasted a couple of hours checking all the places he saw her most often, the library, the grocery store, her favorite locations to use as backdrops for reports, even the park. He realized she couldn't possibly be out in the park in this weather, but… he was getting desperate, running out of ideas. And still she was nowhere to be found. The darn city was just too big. He caught himself beginning to worry outright.

The weather was frightfully, bitterly cold. As the afternoon wore on and daylight turned to the gloom of a winter's evening, heavy clouds rolled in, low and ominous. The wind wasn't too bad yet, but he knew that wouldn't last long. Snow started and stopped. The storm seemed to be teasing the metropolis like a cat hovering over its prey, cruelly pretending to consider letting it escape. It wouldn't though. He's seen the weather pattern on the map, and he knew the machinations of his ray well. The weather would turn hard and vicious without warning, striking the metropolis mercilessly. And that was what he wanted. But not before he found her.

Missing. Really missing? He couldn't help but wonder what it was that the assignment editor had her working on. Something mundane most likely. How could anything be more newsworthy than him? _Who is more interesting, more evil than me!_ His scowl faded, thinking of some of the nastier characters he knew around town. Surely it wouldn't be an assignment like that. What kind of idiot would be so stupid as to put their star reporter, the one the city's super villain had made clear was the only one he was willing to work with, in danger on the trail of any of those loose cannons? He was evil, but they were… well, they weren't as wonderfully wicked he was, but they were grievously unsavory.

Tooling around a seedier section of town now, his thoughts having unconsciously directed his driving, he considered the idea of there being levels of bad. Yes, there was evil of his sort – cutting edge dangerous, threatening, malicious, ambitious… the cool kind, he thought, looking out the window – and then there was this.

Hooded characters skulking around, dealing in chemical means of escape. Furtive men on dirty streets minding the business of women who waited for anyone base enough or desperate enough to stop and approach them. Out in this weather? One waif's ratty fur coat only reached her waist, baring her legs completely. How could anyone find this attractive, icy cold flesh and vacant eyes, no matter how blatantly the goods were displayed?

He thought of Roxanne again, her conservative style never revealing much. And yet her feminine charms were intensely obvious, maybe even highlighted by maintaining the mystery. He had to wonder if she did it deliberately or if she wasn't fully aware of that byproduct of her professional attire. Either way. There she was, untouchable but infinitely more desirable than these so-called professionals who waited with meaningful purposelessness, easily had. He actually felt sorry for the snow-dusted ragamuffins. That wasn't e-vil. It was sad.

He glanced at each dreary building, shadowy character, down every murky alleyway. There were too many places to hide someone. Innumerable places. He felt anxious again and, realizing where his thoughts had headed, corrected himself. _Innumerable places for someone to hide_. He roused his indignity, telling himself that she was being difficult, unwilling to think of her restrained in some low place against her will.

Night had fallen now, and he was beginning to feel the futility of his task. The sight of an abandoned multistory building up ahead made his spirits plummet. Since the street was empty he got out, feeling better moving on his own two feet. How was he supposed to find her? Crunching along, his cape hissing over the crusty pathway as he passed graffiti covered walls, he looked up at the innumerable windows staring like dead eyes. _This is impossible._

What if he never found her? Lines of worry furrowed his brow. What was Metrocity without Roxanne? Thinking of her not being there the streets instantly felt emptier. Ruling the metropolis without her in it would be like having the world's biggest and best puzzle all to himself to play with, but with a piece missing. More than a piece really; its heart. Thinking of it that way, he had no desire to take over. He shuffled along, gun in hand, feeling forlorn. What if she had left? Gotten tired of… of him. And everything. He felt abandoned. No. He shook his head. The glumness of the slum was getting to him, that was all. She wouldn't just leave. Roxanne Ritchi did not walk away from anything. That was not in her character.

(ART: Megamind in Winter Clothing) Under a streetlight he stopped and simply stood still, gazing up into the falling snow, up at the dark sky and the dark buildings surrounding him. The wind had died again, and the city seemed to be holding its breath. The calm before the storm. A plume of white escaped his lips and he realized he'd been holding it, listening. But how would he hear if she was out there somewhere, needing help? He wasn't Metro Man. He was just doing his job. Where was that lunk? How could he be so remiss in keeping track of his girlfriend's safety?

His brain pounced on the idea of creating something that would be able to home in on her voice. No, there wasn't time for that now. And apparently she wasn't carrying any of her usual work apparatus. He'd bugged all those. So, she was working undercover? She was working on something. Something besides him.

"When are you going to step it up, Megamind?"

His green eyes stared up into the falling snow, his feet beginning to feel the cold already. Yes, that's what she had said. And that wasn't even the worst of it.

"_Step_ it _up_?" he had queried with pretended incredulousness at the way she had interrupted his monologue. As usual. "What's that supposed to mean?" He passed smoothly around her and threw out his arms in a dramatic gesture. "I-!" Stopping, he slumped. "Now I forgot what I was saying."

"Yeah, great. Something about destroying Metro Man possibly?"

_Hmm, that was rather short. Feeling a little uncooperative today_? "Now look. You know how this works. I threaten you with my incredible genius and evil designs, and you insult me in your weak attempts to resist my devilish charms." He tried to bait her with a smug smirk, but she wasn't even looking at him. Seeing her staring off to one side, frowning, he whispered, "Your line is… 'Yes, my evil love.'" He put a hand behind his ear, bending toward her. "Any time you're ready."

Roxanne had only sighed aloud and rolled her eyes.

"What's the matter, my saucy one? Feeling more stubborn than usual today?"

"I think a better word might be bored," she grumped from where she sat on the tracks.

"Bored?" _Ouch, that stung a little._ "There's nothing boring about yours truly! Anyone with a brain could tell you that!"

"Really? Look at this." She indicated the scene around them as best she could with her hands tied behind her back. A pile of explosives at her feet threatened not only her life but the lives of hundreds of commuters on the train that was due to come down the line at any time. And as Megamind had just been crowing, when his rival arrived in order to save her and everyone, he would blow him to bits and then proceed to take over the city.

"Tying the damsel to train tracks? It's been done to death," she griped. "And it's the same thing every time now. You try to take over. Metro Man stops you. Wow. Big news, Metro City! Metro Man wins again!" She shook her head.

"Shows how much you know!" he countered with his hands on his hips. "For your information, there's more than just explosives involved. There's a-"

"Secret weapon that will surely destroy him," she finished in monotone.

He stared at her. "Oh yeah? What kind of weapon?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "The Failing Ray of Failure?"

He had heard all this sort of thing before from her. But it was her attitude that scalded. She wasn't even trying. Where was the playful banter, the flirting, the excitement? She looked and sounded as disinterested as she claimed to be.

"Are you even trying?" she groused. "Look, Megamind. You're in show business. That's what this is. Just admit it. And if you want to keep everybody's attention, if you want to stay on top and stay in the spotlight, you're going to have to start coming up with some new ideas. Seriously. Get your head in the game."

"Show business!" How dare she call his ambition to crush his enemy show business! "Get my-? I've got game! In fact, nobody's got more game than me! I come up with new ideas every week! I'm out here busting my chops to-"

"Lately though, it's all gotten a little…" Roxanne paused to wrinkle her nose. "A little _domestic_."

"Domestic?" This wasn't the same banter they usually engaged in. These barbs actually hurt. He couldn't quite shake them.

And there she was, looking up at him pointedly, her brow raised as though waiting for him to clue in to what she meant.

He couldn't help it. He blushed. Was she actually referring to... them? "What? What, you think this is just all about-? That- that I'm just coming up with ideas so you – we - so we - "

He stopped. Wait, was that even what she meant? He was playing into it too much, saying too much, stumbling over his words. She'd gotten to him! And she was still just looking at him, cool and impassive. Bored. Bored? How… how disrespectful! Rude. Impudent. Well, two could play that game. He could rattle her cage. Collecting himself, he began to circle around her.

"So, things are too domestic for you?" Dropping suddenly to crouch close behind her, his cape billowed and spread smoothly around them as he stroked a finger along one cheek, lifting her chin on his fingertip. "Well, let's shake it up a bit, Roxanne. Hmm?"

He wasn't in the habit of using her first name, and touching her was bordering on an offense, definitely never part of the game, but he was about to accept her paltry challenge and up the stakes! She wanted new ideas? Oh, he had a few!

"How about joining me on this side of the cape? You want to be the talk of the town?" he challenged. Then his voice dropped a register; his words turning slow and sultry. "Well then... let's give them something to talk about... something _spicy,_" he whispered from lips so close to her cheek, he was sure she would feel the heat of his breath on her skin. He paused to let her think about it, feel the same thrill he felt, enjoying taking his time examining her pretty features one by one from beneath hooded eyes, bedroom eyes. She always pretended to be immune to them. In fact, she wouldn't even look at him now. Probably had to fight the urge to kiss him outright! "How about a hint of evil _indulgence_. A question of… extraterrestrial delight. The hero's girlfriend… seduced to the dark side?" He whispered a dramatic gasp. "Oh, _scandalous_! I'm sure that would rock Metrocity to the foundations besides being… quite pleasurable for you. Out of this world, in fact," his voice growled temptingly. "If I do say so my alien self."

Roxanne finally turned her head to look at him.

His face sobered at seeing the way she stared, unmoved, and a painful wave of mortification washed over him, cooling his ardor in an instant. _  
_

"You don't get it," she'd stated flatly. And then she had looked away and murmured, "My other story is more interesting than this."

Wham. Just like that.

"Other- _other_ story?!" His shock had not been counterfeit. He had just propositioned her! And then what? No banter? Where was the hot response? Not like he'd expected she would actually take him up on it, but... but she'd let him fall flat on his face. Not even given him the heated rebuff he deserved. Instead here she was insinuating that she had some other iron in the fire. He quickly stood and stared down at her. "What other story? Are you two-timing on me? I mean, us? Well, _him_ really. Your boyfriend; covering other stories? I am shocked!"

"Look. Forget I said anything. Let's just get on with this."

His fists clenched at the sides of his stiff form. His proposition ignored. Oh, that burned! It hurt! He had stuck out his neck and taken a chance, done what she asked, and she couldn't even bother to give him the courtesy of acknowledging his offer with a snappy comeback! It was… embarrassing! His jaw ached and his cheeks burned. He wished the ground would swallow him up. "Oh, so now it's you who calls the shots? I don't think so."

Here he had been looking forward to this encounter with her all week, broken out of prison and formulated a plan, set everything up, and she wasn't even bothering to try. Acted as though she had never enjoyed it! Had she just been playing him all along? All these years?

"Cold," he hissed, beginning to stalk around again. "Ice cold, that's you. Ice Queen!" He stopped, bristling. "Hail the Ice Queen!" He made a sweeping bow. "Allow me to build you a kingdom, Ice Queen."

"Wow. Never would have thought of that," Roxanne replied sarcastically. "Make everything really cold. In winter. What are you going to do next?" she asked. "Build a scary snowman?"

Megamind swallowed hard. He couldn't believe this. His eyes felt like they would pop out of his head with the furious pressure building inside him. "Oh, I'll build you a snowman," he growled. "Like one you have never seen before. To smash and destroy this city!" Now he was mad and ready to show it. "And go ahead and try to warn them about it. 'Ooooh, watch out everybody! Megamind is going to build a snowman!'" He waved his hands around, mocking her frantically trying to warn the audience. "They'll laugh you off the air."

"You do that."

The encounter had ended not long after that. Metro Man showed up to save the day just before the train sped through, blowing its horn wildly. Of course the explosions and his secret weapon hadn't worked to destroy either him or Roxanne, but by that point he hardly cared. He had already moved on. He was already invested in this new plan, gunning for revenge – Deep Freeze, courtesy of the Ice Queen. Nursing his wounded pride and full of painful doubt over everything he had so comfortably bought into up to that point, he and Minion had retreated to the Lair to plan and prepare.

And now it was ready, and she was missing. And it was so cold. If she was out in this somewhere, she'd become an ice queen for real. He turned and made his way back to the car, finding it by the telltale exhaust after an anxious moment when he realized he had gotten out and left it camouflaged again.

He still felt rather uncomfortable about that whole episode. He wished he hadn't let her get to him the way she had. He had definitely lost focus. But even considering that, he couldn't understand how things had gotten so far off track. What had happened? Why had her tone changed so abruptly? Then again, maybe he really had been fooling himself all along thinking she had been enjoying it as much as he had. And yet, as angry as he wanted to stay, things today just were not adding up, and frankly he could no longer deny that he was concerned. Well, he would find her. And then they would resume their roles, but this time he was going to keep his distance, just as he should have been doing all along.

The Hudson's console-mounted computer included a program to tap into the city's police dispatch center. He'd passed a lot of cars and trucks stuck in the snow, including several accidents where the men in blue stood attending to shaken drivers with lights flashing and pens scribbling on notepads. As soon as he'd left home base, he'd been half-listening as reports came in on various fronts. Now, squinting through the windshield and trying to decide where to go next as the snow suddenly grew thicker again, a particular report caught his ear.

A class three motor vehicle incident with unknown injuries. Two squad cars were dispatched as well as an emergency vehicle. Then the fire department's assistance was requested. An officer called in requesting details, and the call taker related that the accident involved a vehicle rollover spotted by a passing motorist. Possibly a local news van. Time of accident unknown.

The squawking of the rest of the report faded into the background as soon as he noted the location, a highway that ran parallel to the lake. The vehicle had been spied down a snow-covered embankment. Heart thumping painfully he stepped on the accelerator and wove through what light traffic was still out as the sky had dumped another inch of snow and the temperature had dropped another five degrees in the time he'd been on the road.

The first responders must have been nearby because they beat even him to the scene, and when he arrived and skidded to a halt as close to the pulsing emergency lights as he dared, a large knot of them were converged at the side of the road looking down into the deep ditch. Spotlights and flashlights were trained onto the scene but he strained to see anything from his vantage point and only stopped himself from leaping out of the concealed Hudson just in time. Waiting to find out what was happening and who was down below was torturous. His hands gripped the steering wheel and he found himself grinding his teeth in frustration until he saw the emergency crew struggling up the snowy ravine, bringing a gurney back onto the road. Finally enough of the crowd around the narrow cot parted so that he would see a flash of red, a coat under a blanket. It was Erin, Roxanne's replacement.

He collapsed back in his seat. Passing a hand over his brow, he noticed the trembling of his fingers and took a deep breath, blowing it out. _Not her. Not her… Ok, dammit, now where is she?_

It was time to stop messing around. The wind was gusting more meaningfully now, making threats that the storm was closing in. He needed to find her and make sure she was… ready for their plan. Putting in a call to Minion, he asked if there had been any indication of her whereabouts on the news.

"No, there hasn't. You haven't found her either?"

"No."

"Did you look in her apartment?"

Megamind's mouth dropped open. Well, that was a head smacker if there ever was one. "Uh, scushhhh… you're breaking up, scushhhh… storm's interfering…. I'll get back to you later-" He broke the connection.

In the Lair, Minion rolled his eyes and went back to work.

Her apartment. If she was going to hide from him and not even call in to work, pretending to be kidnapped, what better way to lay low than to just stay home. _Ah yes. Very sneaky. But now I have you_, he smirked, heading for her place.

* * *

ART: Megamind in Winter Clothing ...art/Megamind-in-winter-clothing-full-design-362 856713


	4. Roxanne Recon

A jiggling at the handle… a slow scratching noise… and the door to Roxanne's apartment was flung open, bouncing hard off the wall beside it.

"AH HA!" Megamind shouted, rushing inside with his arms thrown wide. "Prepare to meet your doom, you recalcitrant reporter! You-" Pausing, he looked around for his audience.

A lamp provided some light, but the apartment was empty. Or rather, it appeared to be.

_Ok. I'll play._ "Thought you could hide from me? As _if_!" Stalking around the brief living space, rattling the can of knockout spray, he pounced behind couches and curtains, into the kitchen and under her desk, continuing his soliloquy of triumph.

"I'm sure you thought you were pretty clever, but did you really think you'd get away with this? I mean, come on! You're up against the biggest brain on the planet!" The rattling stopped as he turned in a thoughtful circle for a moment before spying a closed door. _Ah! Too easy._ He nearly tripped on the cape once again, kicked it out of his way, and then glided silently over.

"There's no getting out of it, nosey newsie," he muttered, grasping the knob and pausing to bite his lip. "Might as well… come OUT!" Flinging the door open, he stopped.

An empty bedroom. He slowly deflated, disappointed and even somewhat perplexed. Then he flipped on the light and got down to peer under the bed before standing again. Searching pensively here and there, he frowned and sat down to think. This was her bedroom.

Suddenly he seemed to become more aware of the furniture he was occupying and looked down at it. This is her _bedroom_…

(ART: Megamind Trying Out Roxanne's Bed) He smoothed a hand over the comforter and with a naughty grin reclined and stretched out full length, staring at the ceiling, lacing his gloved fingers behind his head. _I'm on Roxanne's be-ed! I'm on Roxanne's be-ed!_ Oh, what gloriously wicked thoughts blossomed in his head! Testing the springs with his hips, he smiled wider, one eyebrow raised in approval. _Mmm, bouncy!_

Then he noticed the closet door ajar.

Leaping up, he stared at it, eyes narrowed in concentration as his ears pricked. Nothing. He tiptoed in long strides and sprang.

"GOT YOU!"

Only her blouses and dresses appeared startled, disturbed by the door's sudden movement. With a sigh, he turned his head to look at the empty room once more, then turned back to the clothing. Walking his fingers spiritlessly along the garments on their hangers, he selected a sweater dress he recognized and pulled it out. Looking it up and down, he remembered her wearing it in the fall for a news report at the park, thinking the slightly fuzzy texture looked so snuggly on her. Huggable. And the clinging fabric showed off her curves perfectly. He had no idea what that report had been about, but it had been a pleasure to watch.

He looked in the mirror hung on the inside of the door as he held the dress up to himself. Not his color. Bending his head to the shoulder, he touched his nose to the fabric and smiled. It still smelled of her. And it didn't look half bad against his winter suit. Their softness matched in a way. Imagining her in it, he wrapped one arm around the waist. Caught in his clutches, mwahaha. The evil overlord and his prey. Or maybe, his queen… Ice Queen.

An audible sigh escaped him. Clearing his throat he hung the dress up again and looked over some of the other things, recognizing many of the items. Guess she's not home after all, he thought, absentmindedly opening a drawer.

He froze, eyes wide. _Well, well..._ Two fingers hooked around two slender straps and lifted a delicate bra to nearly eye level. A sheer bra. Lacey. Red.

His mind was a blank, more blank than he could remember it having been before. Not that there wasn't a reaction being stirred, but it wasn't one of conscious thought. It was nothing but primal. Instinctive. Animalistic. He could feel his mouth watering and swallowed but couldn't stop devouring the exquisitely personal piece of her property with his eyes.

How does it do that, he wondered, staring at the way it perfectly reminisced the shape of her. _Wow._

For a moment he considered shoving it down the front of his suit. Stealing it. But what if his wardrobe bots found it? He could just see them, excited at finding the new toy daddy had brought home, tugging and fighting each other for it, shooting it across the room like a rubber band before he could get it back. And Minion spotting its trajectory from the curtain and having a hissy fit.

After a guilty glance around, he gently crushed it in his hands, pressing it to his nose as his eyes rolled closed. One long drawn whiff and a throaty groan… and he stuffed it quickly back in the drawer and forced himself to leave the room.

Resolutely pulling the door shut, his chest expanded and contracted in a deliberate, cleansing breath. This was how he'd gotten in trouble in the first place. Affection was a weakness. A distraction! Not that he felt affection for her, he corrected himself quickly, but… Oh all right, he felt affection for her. It was her fault though, tempting him the way she did, that femme fatale. And it had caused him to be vulnerable in ways he could not afford. He still couldn't believe she had gotten to him like that. Penetrated his black heart! But never again. Their relationship had to be nothing more than a contract. Well, not actually a contract but like a contract. Both gave something and got something. And allowing himself to think there was any more to it was a mistake.

_All right. Now there must be some clues around here about where she is. Where she planned to go for the day._ Returning to the living room, he spied her desk and moved toward it hopefully. It looked promising, if untidy. Very untidy. What was she, some kind of squirrel? With his own notes hung in precise formation, connections outlined in red string, he could hardly imagine working in conditions like this.

Searching through her papers revealed little other than that she enjoyed doodling. He could just about imagine her scribbling while on the phone. Her jottings were brief, only a word or two, a phone number. She didn't bother to explain to whom or what they pertained. He put down the slips and pieces of paper he'd collected between his fingers and frowned, turning around.

_How did I miss that?_ A camera sat on the table beside her couch. He'd seen her using this for work. Picking it up and studying the little buttons and symbols, he soon found the photographic record of where she had been most recently. At least places she had taken pictures.

Ah, there was a photo of his handiwork. Seeing an example of his graffiti on the little screen brought a smile to his face. She hadn't given up on him completely. He scrolled back through more pictures taken of the effects of his deep freeze around town. Oh! There was that water main break that had happened just yesterday! A fountain of water shooting into the frigid air, flooding and coating the street and cars and sidewalk and everything around it in ice almost instantly. He chuckled. Oh yes, that had been particularly satisfying.

Thumb pressing the little button, he chuckled as the tiny pictures rolled back, until the montage of destruction abruptly ended. Now why would she have a photo of a dumpster? He decided that one must be a mistake since it was in extreme close up. He passed it by. Then stopped. The next picture was of two men walking away from the camera. Half the screen was a darkened blur, as though something had obscured part of the shot. The two looked as though they weren't aware of being photographed. In fact, their faces could hardly be seen. But he recognized one of them. And his level of concern about Roxanne's absence had just shot through the roof.

* * *

ART: Megamind Trying Out Roxanne's Bed ...art/Megamind-trying-out-Roxanne-s-bed-395635814 


	5. An Interrogation And An Escape

Big Hannigan was known to be one of those prisoners you couldn't trust. Megamind had been warned about him from the time he was a small child in the penitentiary and had been strictly admonished not to have any dealings with him even though at first he hadn't been told why. And Big had been kept far from him, although with his narrow-minded assumptions he hadn't particularly wanted anything to do with the strange little alien anyway. Of course in his fractious teenage years, Megamind had yearned to test these limitations, but he soon changed his mind after a few short dealings with the weedy, pockmarked little rat.

If evil could be put on a scale, Big belonged on the far end, right down near 'detestable'. He gave evil a bad name. His narrow vocabulary consisted of so many four-letter words used as every part of speech imaginable that it was almost a new language with him. The strings of expletives ran together until it was hard to understand the man at times. Definitely a limited intellect, his lack of mental prowess only made him dangerous. In the way that stupid people could be dangerous. Never a straight word came out of his mouth, never could you rely on anything he said, even about the most mundane things, and with a complete lack of personal conviction or compass you could never guess what he might do. He would sell his own mother to get what he wanted and where he wanted. And his special interest was drugs.

Megamind peered at the man in the photo, wishing he was someone else, and then continued scrolling through several more shots. Finally he put the camera down and stood solemn and thoughtful, mind racing. Then with a pensive glance out the window at the pelting snow, he left the apartment without looking back.

* * *

"Oh, not again." Using his left hand, Minion pulled on his right forearm, straightening the stuck elbow joint. He bent it back and forth a few times hoping it would loosen up and shivered in his tank, making his entire mecha suit shudder. It was freezing in the half-open work bay. He really needed to warm up and thought grumpily of Megamind snatching up the defrost gun.

The bots were doing most of the work anyway, packing more and more snow onto the wire framework of the snow queen. Why shouldn't he stop for a little break? He spied his boss's mug. A coffee break! That's exactly what he needed. Any worker aware of his rights would be demanding a coffee break about now. Or cocoa, in his case.

"Brainbot!"

One ovular droid flew lazily down to him.

"Go get me some hot chocolate."

"BOWG!"

"Don't bark at me. Get hot cocoa."

"Bowk?"

"You do too know how."

"Brrrrrrrck."

Oh, this was one of the simpler-minded ones, he noted, judging by the single arm and ugly red stains. He'd marked these earlier model cyborgs as a way of telling them apart, letting his boss think they'd simply been playing in the paint cans again. Never quite sure if they were being purposely thick-headed to be mischievous or were actually a little lacking in their programming, he didn't have much patience with the noncompliance of the early series' members and tended to assign them to the most menial tasks. Like building snowmen. Megamind always dismissed his complaints about them, being fond of all the bots, but they seemed to listen to him better anyway.

"HOT… CHOC- Oh, forget it," Minion muttered. "I'll get it myself." _I'll get some boiling water to warm up my grease too while I'm at it._

Before long steam was rising from two mugs at his workstation. His personal grease gun sat in one. It would squeeze out so much nicer when it was softened up, and maybe his joints would stop getting stuck. And in the other was his favorite comforting drink. And a straw of course.

First he checked on the bots' progress. The snow monster was huge, reaching to the ceiling of the tall bay. An incredibly fine but strong wire framework gave it its shape, and a primitive sort of brain of a computer chip gave it its temperament and directive. The first thing it would do upon being released would be to add snow onto its legs in order to gain height. And as it stumped along, they would grow until it towered over buildings, ready for destruction.

Coming along nicely, Minion thought with pride, reaching for the hot chocolate to toast his progress. Picking it up, he lifted the mug to the top of his dome and popped out of his top hatch to have a sip from the straw. "Ahhh, perfect!" he smiled, feeling the warmth spreading under his scales. He ducked back into his tank. _And now to warm up these joints_.

But his arm wouldn't lower. He sighed, rolling his eyes. _Ok, no big deal. I can use the grease gun left-handed. _It wasn't the first time he blessed his ichthyoidal ambidextrousness. He pulled it out of the mug, glad that his fingers couldn't feel the heat of the nearly boiling water. But what he hadn't counted on was how quickly the water dripping down onto his metal hand would freeze there.

"Oh shoot." Quickly trying to drop the gun, he found he couldn't move his fingers. "Brainbot!"

A droid obediently appeared at his side, anxiously awaiting instructions.

This was a good one. Ready and willing to take orders. "Move my fingers. They're stuck."

"Borg?"

"Move my fingers!"

Eager to be helpful the bot zipped up to his tank, grabbed his metal digits in its claws, and pried them apart before he could react. The cup of cocoa dropped to the floor and smashed, splattering a brown pool of fragrant liquid at his feet.

"Noo! Not that one!"

Distressed, the cyborg backed away from him and hid behind a tool cart. Minion sighed, one arm still stuck up in the air near his tank and the other frozen around his grease gun. "All right. It's ok… it's ok! I just wasn't specific enough."

The nervous little creature peeped out and eventually crept forward again with the fish's patient encouragement. "Ok! Now, let's try this again. Grab my hand – the other hand – and move my fingers."

Wanting to be helpful the bot rushed down to his left hand and squeezed it. Grease shot out of the gun and onto the floor like an exploding tube of toothpaste as the fish shouted in alarm. "Not closed! Open them! OPEN! Auugh… too late!"

This time the bot disappeared and no amount of coaxing would bring it back again. "Great. Now what do I do?"

* * *

Dan Friess sat at his desk tapping away on the keyboard. The primetime and late crews were camped out in the newsroom, busily keeping track of the storm and happenings around town associated with it. He himself had directed the placement of key journalists, ready to give live reports from a variety of locations across the metropolis to keep the city updated throughout the night. One staff member was missing, but he wasn't overly concerned at the moment.

Door firmly shut and caught up in his work, he was completely unaware of the lights in the station suddenly going out and the gasps of alarm and scrambling of feet that heralded the arrival of an unexpected visitor to the news station. Concentration was a gift to a journalist and his was honed to the point he didn't even notice when the door to his office eased opened until the lights went out there as well. He jumped in his seat, a startled curse escaping him. _Power outage._ _No wait,_ he instantly realized_. My computer's still on_.

An unfamiliar noise, a hushed swoosh, made his eyes bug open as he spun around in his seat. The light of the monitor revealed a guest, back turned as he closed the door with a deliberateness more menacing than a slam.

The way Megamind turned, head first to pierce Dan with a look from over his shoulder before allowing the rest of his body to follow made the man swallow hard. The dark expression on the blue face would have sent many a stouthearted fellow to the wall begging for mercy, but Dan was a seasoned journalist. And just as important, he considered himself relatively familiar with the rock star alien from the years of following his work, although admittedly from a greater distance than this. He forced himself to relax his grip on the arms of his chair and eased one hand over to turn on his desk lamp.

Pressing the switch, he claimed the advantage of a little more light just as the black and blue figure lifted an unfamiliar weapon in his black gloves. The high-pitched whine it emitted made Dan slowly raise his hands, palms out. "Ok, fella… take it easy."

Megamind flicked a switch with his thumb, and the business end of the gun lit up deep red. "Where is Roxanne?"

_Oh_. Dan shifted uneasily but lowered his hands. "You don't have her, huh?"

"Brilliant deduction," the alien snapped with a sour expression. "If I did, I wouldn't be wasting my time here in this insignificant television station, now would I?"

"I was kind of afraid of that…"

"You were kind of afraid?" Megamind mocked his words.

Dan would have been happier knowing Megamind did have her. For one thing it would have meant he could have avoided this visit from the visibly livid alien, a turn of events he hadn't seen coming at all.

"Why have you allowed everyone to assume I'm responsible for her disappearance?" Megamind demanded.

Dan shrugged uneasily. "She's working undercover, and nobody is supposed to know where she is. Then again, I wasn't really sure if you'd taken her or not. But the timing fit, so I figured it was possible..."

Timing. If he was going to talk about anything other than where Roxanne was at the very moment, timing was _not_ the thing to mention. Megamind began to pace in the small space keeping his green eyes trained on the man. (ART: What Have You Done)

"And," Dan continued, convinced by the murderous look that he shouldn't bother trying to play his cards too close to his chest. "I also realized it could actually be advantageous if certain people assumed she was with you."

"Advantageous."

"Well, yeah. There are certain people who I would rather think that she was with you in order to provide some cover for her. Because… she'd be safer that way." He wasn't sure how Megamind would feel about him saying that Roxanne was safer in his presence than with someone else.

"People like Big Hannigan."

Dan stared and when Megamind mentioned a few more names he blinked, somewhat surprised. "Yes." In the back of his mind he was quietly noting the details of the villain's unusual, fur-lined outfit but wisely decided this was not the time to question him about such trivialities.

"You sent her out on the trail of those lunatics," Megamind suddenly accused him, waving his gun in frustration before aiming it again. "You purposely put her in danger."

Dan watched the end of the red ray bob up and down, emphasizing each word, never leaving the general direction of his head. It was unnerving. "She's an investigative reporter! And y_ou_ put her in danger all the time," he blurted out, lifting his hands again as he leaned away.

"Where is she?" Megamind growled.

"I can tell you the last place she went, but I lost contact with her earlier today."

"And you haven't done anything about it?" the villain suddenly roared.

"I thought she was with you," Dan dared to repeat. "And if she was really in trouble, I figured Metro Man would save her. He's-"

Megamind was inches from his face in the blink of an eye. "_You_ are the one who is in trouble." Satisfied with the look of fear he'd instilled, he relaxed and turned to pace again, resting the gun on his shoulder. "My plans for this evening require her timely participation, and her absence is… inconvenient in the extreme."

_Is that all though_, the perceptive journalist wondered. _He actually looks worried. And angry_. It wasn't a good combination, but it was the key to his self-preservation since he was the only person who knew where Roxanne was. "She's supposed to check in with me every six hours. The only time she doesn't is when she's with you. So I thought-"

"You thought," Megamind interrupted in disgust before asking, "How long has it been?"

Dan paused, considering lying at first. "Eight."

"Eight. Eight hours. Hours! And you did nothing. Haven't called the police or – or anything!"

"I didn't want to compromise her investigation."

"You mean you didn't want to lose your story! And anyway, _I _am supposed to be her investigation!" He stopped to stamp his foot. "But you sent her after those… those…" He glared. "Do you really believe your plans are more important than the safety of your employee?"

Dan blinked at him without answering, and after his own words had sunk in, Megamind leveled the gun at him again.

"Ok, ok…" Dan quickly soothed. "Look, I figured if she was in real danger, Metro Man would come. He always does." A blank look that Megamind could barely recognize as concern registered on his face. "And if she wasn't, then blowing her cover might put her in more danger than anything else."

"So _where is she_?" Megamind demanded once more, slowly, through gritted teeth.

Dan Friess considered to whom he was speaking. Although it might seem a betrayal to some to make known his reporter's whereabouts to the one person who hunted her down and terrorized her repeatedly, he personally had come to believe the criminal mastermind meant no harm to his favorite employee. In fact, he suspected things were a little too comfortable between them. The shock value of the bad guy's big plans was starting to fade. People were getting used to it all. He had hoped moving Roxanne on to other news stories might convince the extraterrestrial evildoer to choose a new victim or two. Add some variety. A new element of uncertainty and excitement. Apparently Megamind wasn't having any of it. And his reaction to the situation certainly provoked some interesting speculation. But Dan knew this was not the time to make use of his fishing skills to go prying. Clearly the man was on edge. Those green eyes could burn through steel, and that gun…

He cleared his throat, beginning to give out information in bits and parts much like the notes that had been scattered across Roxanne's desk. "We… had a lead on a story, yes. Ours exclusively as far as I know, and I meant to keep it that way. Caught word of a meeting of some underworld types, big names on the local drug scene and some who aren't so local. But why? A new drug ring moving in to Metro City? Some kind of war about to break out between gangs? A takeover? New drug coming in? We aren't sure, but this is a big enough deal to pull in some major players from out of town. Some of these guys are a pretty big deal."

Megamind held his indignity in check. Who did he think he was talking to? Only the biggest deal around!

"It's going down tonight, and I wanted Roxanne to get the scoop." He put a couple of fingers over his mouth and looked at the floor, turning thoughtful. "She's been following it for a while now. She was aware of the danger, but she's a good reporter. You know that. She's got guts."

He wasn't about to admit he had pushed her even after sensing some reluctance. "Anyway, she planned to scope out the area and try to find out exactly who was involved. Maybe even get close enough to have some idea about what they're doing."

Having laid it all out, he suddenly feltl a great deal of concern. Roxanne was a little too daring sometimes. He suspected she had actually ferreted out the precise location of the rendezvous and kept it to herself like many reporters would. And she would try to get as close as she could because she had clearly wanted to wrap it up, report it and kill it, turning the investigation over to the police with photos and evidence. But she hadn't checked in.

He looked up at the man in black still waiting, growing more and more impatient with his procrastination. In fact he was surprised at the amount of control he'd shown up to that point, but he knew it was only because he still needed him. Once Megamind knew where she was, what was to stop him from blasting Dan on the spot? But Roxanne didn't deserve to be left to fend for herself, and he acknowledged the fact that if Metro Man wasn't hip to this scene for whatever reason, if anyone was going to find her now amongst such rough company, Megamind was it.

"Now, you realize I'm doing you a favor. Nobody else knows about this, and I'm not usually in the business of divulging information about our exclusive stories even-"

"WHERE!" Megamind was pointing the gun at his head once more. The dangerous glowing grew brighter as he flicked a secondary switch.

Dan quickly spilled the beans and dived under his desk as Megamind discharged the weapon with a flash of light. When he dared to peek out again, the door was standing open and the room was empty except for the smoke and debris from the explosion that had been his computer.

* * *

Minion stood with one arm stuck and the other hand frozen in place, unsure of what to do. He couldn't trust the bots' help. Who knew what would happen with the next one he called. He spotted a metal bracket set in the wall and had an idea. "Maybe if I just… link my arm around that bar and…"

Luckily his legs were still mobile. He tried to shuffle past the greasy loops and slippery chocolate drink splattered at his feet but immediately felt himself slide. "Oh no."

He tensed, managing to stop, trying to decide how to correct his balance. Hindered by the uneven placement of the weight of his arms in his top-heavy torso and his short legs, the foot slipped further.

"I'll just… uh..." Pulling his leg backward quickly seemed like a good idea, but he realized too late that it wasn't going to help. The greasy floor sent it back too far, nearly sending him down to the ground. His feet began to scramble and in the back of his mind some calm part of him realized with amusement he must look like a cartoon character doing a rapid-fire Spanish dance, until finally he fell sideways against his workstation with a yelp and a thud.

What had he damaged? The station was full of sensitive mobile equipment used for programming and testing things they created in the huge work bay. Pressing his face against the glass to see what he might have crushed, he realized his forearm was right next to the button marked with a yellow note stating, _All hail the Ice Queen!_

"Uh oh…" He had a terrible sinking feeling but tried to console himself. "Maybe I didn't quite hit-"

A low rumble issued from the gigantic figure.

"I hit it." Frantic, Minion tried to move his arms. They were still stuck.

Two eyes slowly began to burn red in the big icy head, and the limbs trembled and showered tiny bits of snow onto the concrete floor.

"No, no! Not yet!" He extended the hand that was clenching the grease gun, gritting his teeth with the effort, his feet still unable to find purchase on the greasy concrete as he lay propped sideways against his workbench, but he couldn't reach the kill switch. Why had they placed it so far away from the launch button?

Rocking back and forth he hoped he might be able to sort of lurch and roll to that end of the console and bump it. Back. Forth. Back. Forth. Baaack… foooorth. His feet shifted to one side and out from under him entirely, but as he fell he made a tremendous effort to swing his free arm in the direction of the switch… and missed. And he was flat on the floor.

A muffled roar sounded from the snowy creation, and it began to shift and move. It roared again, louder, filling the cavernous room with noise until everything vibrated, including the fish in his dome. "Stop! Stop, you… you beast!"

But the program had been activated, the directive given. Watching as the monstrous white form slowly unbent and lumbered toward the doors, wrenching them apart, the aquatic henchman grimaced and felt sick. Maybe his boss had found the reporter by now.

"Probably not," he whimpered in despair, wide brown eyes helplessly watching the snow queen disappear into the dark. "Timing, Minon. Timing." His eyes shut. "He is going to kill me…"

* * *

ART: What Have You Done ...art/What-have-you-done-357548624


	6. Ear To The Ground

Knowing Roxanne, there was no way she was going to be satisfied with only finding out the approximate location of where that meeting was taking place. He was sure of that. And as little doubt as he had about her ability to track down the precise location, he had even less that she would attempt to get as close as possible to snoop around. She was as fearless and meddlesome as reporters came. His begrudging admiration for those qualities in her was now overshadowed by exasperation and anger mostly masking fear.

The drug scene was an area of criminal activity that he held in no regard. An ear to the ground could have given him all kinds of information about it whenever he wanted, but he rarely bothered. There was no ambition it in other than enslaving and then squeezing money from desperate people. The characters involved were the lowest of the low, completely untrustworthy, unless you counted sexual predators who had even less ambition and were deserving of less trust. He had no truck with either sort of thing. He had loftier goals, striving for greater glory.

There was very little time, he knew, to find her now. If she hadn't checked in when she was supposed to, then she could already be dead. Blast her ambitions! He cursed the time he'd wasted so far, knowing the people she was getting close to would not hesitate to…

His speculations cut short as he steered through a dark, snowy back alley and into the small open area behind a brick building. This was it. His sometimes ear to the ground. A stout man in a stained apron appeared in a dingy doorway that led into the back of a bar known for its particular clientele. He was holding a shotgun. Megamind flashed his lights once and saw the man's shoulders relax. He lowered the firearm and leaned it against the side of the wall, then carefully trudged through the snow to where he thought the Hudson was.

"Hey! Uncloak this thing! Or whatever you call it," the portly man complained aloud, squinting against the snow.

Megamind rolled down his window, and the bartender immediately approached him.

"Hello, Carl."

"Nice fur," the grubby bartender smirked. Few people would have dared to rib the city's most notorious criminal mastermind, but when you dealt in information others wanted there was often more allowance for making comments other people couldn't get away with.

Megamind ignored the gibe. "Has Big been around?"

Carl sobered. His alien customer didn't appear to be in the mood for chitchat, and when he mentioned Big's name Carl knew he was there on business. "Yeah, coupla days ago."

"Running his mouth, I hope."

"Does he ever not?" the bartender rejoined.

Megamind made no response, his face a blank. "I need to know where that meeting's taking place."

Carl didn't bother to ask what meeting he was referring to, but paused to squint and clap his arms around his body. "I thought you wasn't into that drug stuff, Blue." He had a strange fondness for this troubled troublemaker, having watched him strutting his stuff around town since he was first out of prison as a young teen. He knew all types of criminals and con men, and no one was quite like this one. Over time he'd offered a fair amount of advice and contributed a considerable chunk of information to the alien's accumulated knowledge of the underworld workings of Metro City. Probably served him his first drink.

The green eyes stared ahead. "I just need to know where."

Carl sighed aloud. "Ok. But I'm gonna be really disappointed if-"

"Carl! Now!"

"Ok, ok. Said something about a parking garage downtown. Near that new hotel. Cause he thought they oughta get some broads up there while they were at it. You know what he's like…"

Putting the pieces of information he now had together, Megamind knew where he needed to go.

"Hey, where's yer monkey-fish?" Carl asked and stepped back as the window went up. "Hey!" He watched the shimmer of the invisible car speed away and huffed. "Sheesh. You're welcome!"

* * *

The parking garage had yielded nothing. And the longer he drove around it in useless circles, the more agitated he became, scanning the long lines of parked vehicles and behind the concrete pylons and barriers while cursing the fickleness and impudence of the missing reporter.

So she was out doing stories on other criminals now. _Other_ villains! As though he was just one of many. And when he had made her the center of every plan. His gloves creaked as he gripped the steering wheel harder. And she thought she was so clever she could deal with these lowlifes and live to tell about it. He zipped around another turn. What if they'd already found her?

Giving up on the garage at last he returned to street level and left the Hudson, deciding he had to search the nearby hotel Big had mentioned. He had to be moving on his own two feet again anyway. His nerves were strung tighter than a bowstring.

She'd just been acting a part after all, messing with him, stringing him along to make sure she would be part of what she had so heartlessly referred to as his "show business". And then dumped him to take off following other pursuits! He was frowning so hard his face hurt. The air bit at the inside of his shriveling nose, and the exposed tops of his ears ached. His chest ached too, but he was sure it was the cold burning in his lungs.

He'd show her that she couldn't walk away from him. Only her presence was necessary for the job. She didn't have to _like it_. She was his victim, not his partner! There was no agreement. No contract. And there would be no more crossing the line. He thought again of their last encounter, mortified once more and seething as well. Mad at himself for letting anybody get under his skin the way she had. So, she'd meant to tell him she was done? He vowed not to ever let himself be affected by the kind of banter he had so stupidly believed meant anything more than just what it was.

He hoped Minion was coming along with that snow monster by now. A low howl on the wind that rose and fell sent prickles up the back of his neck. Snow swept up on the air swirled through the walkway, the crystals stinging his face. The storm was nearly on top of them now, and he felt it perfectly matched his cold and bitter mood.

Approaching the building via a dark and narrow foot passage leading to a small courtyard opening onto a service entrance, he wondered if it would it be quicker to threaten the concierge for information and be seen yet again –the fourth person to catch sight of the offending outfit when he hadn't meant for anyone to see it at all, curse that troublesome reporter – or do some clandestine reconnaissance through the most likely floors. If Roxanne could, so could he. Either way he'd be glad to be inside. He shuddered in his insulated suit and for a moment actually hoped Wayne was going to make quick work of the showdown. No. Much better to drag it out and watch Roxanne's reaction.

The sound of voices arrested his steps just before he emerged at the end of the passage. Throwing his body into the shadows, he stepped on the long cape again but was grateful it had muffled the sound of his gun bumping into the wall. Light shone down from the windows that looked onto the courtyard, silhouetting everything and throwing shadows. A car waited near steps that led to an industrial looking back door, and two figures in long coats stood breathing white plumes and talking in low voices that bounced hollowly around the enclosed space.

"-stand that noise."

"It's freakin' cold out - though."

"Oh really? - hadn't noticed," the first man replied sarcastically. "So get back in."

"-too obvious," the second one mumbled, moving his feet and ducking his head down into the collar of his coat. "They don't get it. Want to keep - but -'s not gonna fly."

"Ah, you think - smart. - find it? So what? Look, the beauty of - think _he_ did it."

"No, they won't," the second man argued. "Haven't - noticed? - reason she- He doesn't - that way."

"-'s no differ- s. Jus- thug with a big -n."

Megamind peered around the corner. His keen hearing was able to pick up most of what the men were saying despite their hushed voices being interrupted by the wind and distorted by echoes.

"How we do it - giveaway," the first man pointed out. "- dead giveaway."

"Dead giveaway," the second man chuckled. "-t's funny." He gasped as a gust of wind blew his coat up, flapping it around and then dying to stillness. He rubbed his hands together before pulling out his phone and looking at it. "Look, - don't matter anyway. You call the shots? I sure as freakin' hell don't. Soon as they call, - dump it wherever they say." He glanced at his phone again. "Why'd we have to be last?" They had watched all the others leave the meeting, separating quickly, leaving them to clean up. "- home before this blizzard hits. - call soon. -t's freezing."

Megamind's round eyes stared into the darkness. _Dump it._ He risked another look around the corner but still only counted the two men. Which meant she was in the car. All his anger had turned to ice running through his veins. His heart was a leaden lump in his boots, throbbing dully. _Dump it. It. It._ His knees felt weak. Licking his lips, he found his voice.

"Terribly cold evening for a bit of mischief, isn't it, gentlemen?"

The two jumped, heads whipping around as they pulled their weapons, looking for the source of the voice they could hear everywhere and nowhere at once.

It was funny how he sounded so much calmer than he felt. Staying out of sight, he used the flat faces of the surrounding buildings to throw his voice here and there. "Allow me to help you."

Easily recognizing the voice, the men scanned carefully, searching the space they had assumed was empty, pistols held stiff-armed in front of themselves, ready to blow the head off the alien at first sight. The second man whispered frantically, "It's him! I told you this-"

"Shut up!" the first one hissed before addressing the phantom voice. "We don't need your help."

"Do you know how a microwave works?" Megamind continued smoothly, ignoring their comments. "Amazing invention. Quite a concept, heating things from the inside out. And all with nothing but short wavelengths of energy, completely invisible." A simplification but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect his words were having on the two very nervous hitmen who apparently had possession of the one thing he desperately wanted back. He raised his voice, making it grow louder and then letting it fade almost away, knowing they were straining to hear him and find him but couldn't stop listening.

"It's fascinating. Too bad sometimes things accidently… blow up. Such an inexact science. You're never quite sure…" He paused. "Have you ever put a marshmallow in a microwave?" he queried before imitating an explosive thud. "What a shame. What a _mess," _he growled the single word, a threat, feeling his lip curl before he returned to a more thoughtful, deceptively conversational tone._ "_You can't see it happening and then… it's too late. In fact… it could be happening to you right now and you wouldn't even know it. Invisible rays… warming you up... _cooking_ you… from the inside out."

One of the men put his fingers inside his coat collar, pulling at it even as the wind swirled around them.

"Are you feeling a little too warm? Throat tight? I only have it set to defrost."

"Shi-!"

"Shut _up_!"

"But if you prefer not to have my assistance after all, I can be generous," he demurred quietly, waiting while they sweated in their coats and thought about his apparent ability to harm them before they even knew he was doing it. After an uncomfortably long silence, he continued. "I'll give you one out," was his menacing offer, making it clear there would be no other options. "Throw your weapons into the middle of the courtyard."

Without much hesitation, they cast their guns down and raised their hands. Megamind flipped the initial power switch on the defrost gun, giving them their first glimpse of its red glow in the shadows. Their eyes found him as he emerged and stood with the long cape billowing behind him in the snowy air.

"And now I want you to retrieve my _property_ for me," he demanded coldly.

The two men stared for a second before the first hurried to the back of the car and quickly popped the trunk, struggling to lift out a bulky form. Megamind raised an arm to shade his eyes against the glare and shadows, trying to see. See if it was her, if she was all right. (ART: unfinished 6th picture) Suddenly he realized he was looking at a body bag, limp and unmoving in the man's arms. He thought his legs would buckle. He didn't know how long he stood there, but sucking in the frigid air he finally found words again.

"Put it down," he commanded hoarsely. "Over there by the wall. And back away."

As the man followed his instructions, he flipped the secondary switch on the defrost gun, hearing it whine as he raised it in both hands. The gun kicked hard as the top of the car blew off and all the doors flew open in a burst of light and heat, tossing the first man who was still standing beside it backward. He flipped head over heels and landed face down on the snowy ground.

The other man rolled once, twice, then got up and bolted, not bothering to look back. His partner struggled to his feet and took to his heels as well as he could. Megamind ignored them, striding forward on rubber legs to retrieve the dark zippered bag.

* * *

ART: unfinished 6th picture (stay tuned!)


	7. Showdown

Sick with apprehension, he threw himself down in the snow next to the bleak package and tried to prepare for the sight of… what? Her blue eyes empty forever? Soft skin turned white and waxy? Blood matting her brown hair? He didn't know, but when his grasping fingers finally stopped fumbling and managed to pull back the zipper, his lungs emptied in a heaving gasp.

Roxanne. Alive. Bound and gagged and blindfolded but obviously alive. Relief coursed through his body in an uncomfortable hot wave that rose into his mouth, sweet and overwhelming. His head dropped in silent thankfulness for a moment before he looked up again at her lying bound in the rumpled folds of black plastic. Blinking, he gulped down a breath, hearing bits of snow pelt the stiff bag.

He'd done it. He'd saved her. Sitting back on his heels, he tried to take it in, so relieved to see the telltale rise and fall of her purple dress that meant she was still breathing air with him that he simply watched it for several moments. A vision of her intimate garment flashed through his mind but was easily dismissed. This wasn't the time for that. Watching her lying there, conscious but clearly uncertain of what was happening, all he could do was ride out the release of tension so overwhelming it made him shake. As he waited for the trembling to ease, her head turned slightly, trying to sense her situation, and he realized she was shaking as well. She would have heard the explosion, could feel the hardness of the cold ground beneath her.

Finally he pulled the zipper down the rest of the way. Startled, her bound hands and feet gave a convulsive jerk. A ragged strip of cloth tied around her head, torn from a sheet probably, covered her eyes, nearly hiding tufts plugging her ears as well. Someone had been determined not to have her seeing and hearing any more than she already had. Most disturbing was the gag stuffed in her mouth, held in place with grey tape. That was nasty.

He carefully pried at a corner until he could ease it off, wincing as it pulled her skin. That pale skin that he knew so well, every freckle infinitely valuable at that moment. Removing the sticky strip, he wadded it up and tossed it aside, then gently took the cloth from her mouth. She moved her freed lips and tongue, wetting them, still sightless and fearful, wondering what was about to happen.

Neither of them had spoken, and seeing the crystals of snow settling on her hair and skin he was reminded of time constraints. There were no spare minutes to spend on sentimentality. He began to reach for her other bonds and opened his mouth to speak, wondering what had happened to her up to that point and what she would say when she saw-

Then he stopped. Thought of their last meeting. Thought of the detestable suit he'd had to put on to go looking for her. Thought of what she'd been doing there. Her other story, more interesting than him.

She's gotten herself into this mess, and it wasn't a rescue. He was simply recovering his property. No one was going to derail his plans. Not her and certainly not some two-bit drug ring. Focus.

And since she was already so conveniently tied up… He lifted her out of the bag and, remembering the spikes just before tossing her over his shoulder, hefted her in his arms instead, juggling the defrost gun in one hand as he began walking back to the Hudson. That insistent vision, the lace of a red bra, popped up again. _No_, he denied it the attention it demanded, _no more feelings. Not even that_.

The wind had begun whipping his cape, tugging at his slender body already carrying weight it wasn't accustomed to. He squinted against the driving snow and felt Roxanne's dress flap around his hands. Her shaking grew more intense, distracting, but he was determined to be immune to her discomforts. Feeling like some kind of caveman carrying off his claim, he was startled to hear her voice, small and fearful just as they left the dark footpath between the buildings.

"Please..."

His steps faltered, but he recovered quickly and continued walking. About time. He'd never heard her beg before.

"Please," she tried again, having no idea what was about to happen to her or even to whom she was directing her plea. All she knew was that bravery had deserted her long ago. She'd already been inside a body bag. She was scared and cold and about to die; she just didn't know how. "Please don't kill me," she whispered.

Megamind stopped in his tracks. The wind died for a moment. The snow ceased its dancing and fell silently around them. A violent tremor wracked her body. He noticed her lips, almost blue, quivering below her covered eyes, and his perturbed pride melted. Setting her down feet first, he coaxed her down to the ground, laying his weapon to one side.

Roxanne's stomach quaked with despair. Now what? She didn't even know where she was anymore. Her throat was thick and choked with anxiety, her eyes burned under the pressure of the blindfold, too terrified for tears. Her feet were being untied and then her hands were freed. She considered her options, tensing to fight or flee, but the thought of being shot in the back was paralyzing.

Megamind took hold of a corner of the blindfold, imagining whipping it off and revealing just who it had been to pull her fat out of the fire. But somehow he didn't have the stomach for gloating. And then he realized the cloth was caught in her hair. He teased out the strands that had been tied up in the knot, not feeling like being vindictive. Not sure of what he was feeling anymore at all. His tumultuous emotions had been too abused all day; shoved down, denied, pushed aside. But he had to wonder… what was she going to say?

Her eyes were still closed when he removed the strip of cloth from them. They opened uncertainly and found his face. Her eyes fixed on his, lips parting silently. Then with a cry, she grabbed onto him and buried her head in his chest.

Megamind crouched at his victim's side, stunned beyond words. This wasn't quite right. He was… the baddest of the bad! She should have been terrified to find herself in his clutches, not crying with relief on his cape. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, but instead… Unconsciously placing a hand on her back, he realized he was having trouble identifying his own feelings. He was so glad she was all right. And she had looked at him and seen a welcome sight. And had thrown herself into his arms. And she wasn't letting go. And it felt… good.

He was supposed to be angry. He had determined to be immune. But hearing her sniffing into his suit and feeling her hands clutching at him and her ribs heaving under his fingers, he finally dropped his defenses and sank down onto the snow, wrapping his arms around her and burying his nose in her hair. (ART: Found)

This was no time for worrying about crossing invisible lines or who had said what. He lost track of time, barely aware of the freezing cold and blasts of wind gusting around them. He thought about nothing but the way she felt, soft and alive under his hands, safe, as they sat on the snowy path. And he only relinquished his hold on her when he felt her begin to pull away. No uncontrollable sobbing had broken her composure, but the look of immense relief as obvious as the tears on her face when she looked up at him touched his heart.

He reached up to her hair, brushing at the flakes of snow. "Are you all right?" Mentally he kicked himself. He'd said he wouldn't let himself go there anymore, but he couldn't help it. Yes, she was well and truly nestled under his extraterrestrial blue skin. How was that able to make him miserable and happy at the same time?

"Yeah," she answered, a little breathless. "I'm ok. Frozen... but ok." She smoothed her hands over his arms with something akin to amazement on her face as he watched. Her mouth moved a few times, trying to find words. What would it be, he wondered. Thanks? A rebuke? Surprise? With the wall between them obviously in ruins, he held his breath, almost daring to hope for some kind of breakthrough.

"What – what are you wearing?"

_Oh brother_. He rolled his eyes as her fingers trailed over the fuzzy trim at the edge of his glove. "The question is," he countered gently as he saw her racked by more uncontrollable tremors. "What aren't you wearing? Where's your coat?"

"They took it." Her thin violet dress offered scant protection from the cold, and her lips felt too stiff to form words properly. "W-when they were looking for a wire."

She watched him get to his feet. What was he doing? As she looked on, he reached for a weapon lying on the snow and with a sweep of a red beam of light, cut most of the lower portion of his cape off.

As he knelt again to drape it around her shoulders, he noted her startled expression. "I never liked that cape anyway."

Dazed, she gazed up at him from the ground. "How did you find me? Why?"

Suddenly he felt defensive. "Well," he fumbled. "You were missing, and everybody thought it was my fault. And I don't like being blamed for things I didn't do. Just the things I mean to get blamed for." Seeing her sitting there on the frozen ground, shaking as she clasped the edges of his cape in white fingers, he began to help her to her feet.

"You just rescued me," she wondered aloud.

To him it sounded like some kind of accusation. What did she mean by that? What did she want?

"No, I didn't," he argued, tensing up and trying to avoid seeing the way she was staring. His lips formed a little pout. "They were ruining my plans, that's all. Messing with my precision timing, hijacking my victim, taking-"

Roxanne had stepped closer and simply rested her head against his chest again, effectively cutting short his tirade. There was no misinterpreting her posture of relief and trust.

Trust. He put his arms around her once more as she huddled close, resting his lips on her hair. She did smell so good. Well, was he just supposed to push her away? His eyes closed as he sighed in defeat. There was no way he was going to be able to deny it now. She knew. She knew everything, and he wasn't entirely happy about how vulnerable that left him, exposed all alone. But he couldn't seem to stop his hands making soothing motions down her back as he protested weakly, "I was just going to put you in the car and get on with it. I'm on a tight schedule here, you know! But since you- you're- I mean-"

Everything he said sounded so lame. He had just decided he probably should shut up before he made even more of a fool of himself when she looked up again. And the look in her eyes was a revelation, telling him without any words at all that he didn't need to make excuses to hide why he'd done what he had done. He couldn't put his finger on it, but whatever was passing between them confirmed his original assumption with more certainly than he'd ever known before. She did enjoy the banter. She did care. Just for now the walls were down and the rules were suspended and everything was clear as they stood silently looking at each other with the snow swirling and blowing around them.

The moment ended abruptly with the sound of an otherworldly scream echoing through the dark sky. They turned and caught sight of a white figure in the distance, towering over most of the downtown buildings, its head level with some of the tallest, stumping along through the streets, howling with rage and trying to smash anything that crossed its path.

"Is that the plan?" she asked.

"Yep."

Roxanne nodded thoughtfully. "Not bad."

Megamind had to admit he thought it looked good too as he began to hustle his victim toward the invisible car with a hand at her back, wincing when she stumbled and muttering about why the hell Minion had released the thing already. It would head right for the reporter, and she was in no condition to be swept up in its icy grip just now. If that good-for-nothing guppy hadn't screwed up, he could have at least brought her back to the Lair to recuperate for a bit before they got started. _Timing! No one understands timing!_

At least the weather was cooperating. In a sense. The two hunched over against the sudden stronger gusts of wind that heralded the arrival of the blizzard's leading edge. "Come on," he called to her as they scurried along the crunchy, slippery sidewalk. "We need to move."

Squinting against the snow now flung stinging into his face, he reached the invisible car outlined in crusted snow and pulled at a door handle. Nothing happened.

"Megamind?" Roxanne shouted as flakes plastered the side of her head.

"It's frozen shut," he admitted through gritted teeth. And the can of knockout spray was inside too. Could he bring himself to use it on her now? Or was he just going to let her see the inside of his extremely private transportation?

"This is just perfect…" he grumbled, pulling out the defrost gun. He flipped the main switch and trained it on the crack of the iced up door while Roxanne tried to duck her head down into the remnant of cape and danced in place. He didn't want to use too much power. Just needed enough to melt the ice in the mechanism… nothing more or the door would be closed permanently. And if he damaged the paint job, Minion would have an unholy fit.

The snow beast turned and headed their way as the weather conditions shifted. Megamind was torn between knowing they were not in a good position to make the most of the big showdown and wanting to get Roxanne out of the weather but cringing at allowing her to be privy to all his secrets. And yet it made no difference either way when they abruptly found themselves in a total white out.

He could see absolutely nothing through the barrage of ice particles but continued trying to discharge his weapon anyway, hoping he was aiming in the right place, feeling Roxanne move closer to press against him at the same time. If she didn't stick close, she risked getting lost in the storm less than three feet away.

"Come on, come on…" he muttered. His skin was stinging, burning in the howling wind and frozen water painfully pelting them.

"I am so cold," Roxanne moaned pitifully from somewhere near his ear.

"Just a little longer," he shouted back.

The monster roared again, definitely closer now although they could no longer see it or anything else, including the car right in front of them. This wasn't going to work out so well for the big finale. No one would see it!

Then another sound began, an odd whistling barely detectable through the noise of the storm and the snowbeast. A whistling so low they couldn't be sure it was really there until it steadily grew louder. Strong and sustained, it seemed to be straightening out the whipping wind. The snow gradually let up, little by little, becoming less and less until they were able to see each other and then the car and the street, and finally it stopped snowing all together. But the strange wind kept blowing. It crossed their path and blew the snow right off of them. It was unusually warm. It was blowing the clouds right out of the sky.

It was Metro Man.

Looking up in amazement, Megamind forgot his car door for a moment. He and Roxanne watched the super hero zip past high above, blowing into the sky with super breath, dispersing the blizzard until the stars showed through and finally wispy clouds were all that was left. (ART: Frozen five)

"What does that say?" Roxanne asked weakly, squinting at the monster now bigger than ever. "All hail Roxanne Ritchi… Ice Queen?" she read in disbelief, seeing the snow beast sporting a gigantic t-shirt with the logo sprayed on it in blue paint.

"Heh heh…" Megamind looked back at her with a sheepish grin and a shrug. Now he kind of wished he'd listened to his sidekick and left off that little detail.

Roxanne rolled her eyes and clutched her makeshift cape tighter with a tired sigh as her antihero returned to concentrating on his frozen vehicle.

Megamind felt like he was suffocating under waves of exasperation. The whole thing was turning into another fiasco. Roxanne kidnapped by someone else, nearly killed, then Minion prematurely launching the snow beast, the stupid blizzard making everything too hard to see, and Metro Muffin having gotten rid of it far too easily anyway. And here he was just trying to unstick a stuck car door! And they were in the completely wrong part of town for the big finale. The visibility level here sucked; nobody was going to even see what was happening. He wanted to shout, _Stop! Time out! Do over!_

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, you know."

"What?" Roxanne's words had hardly registered in the midst of his frustration.

"I know you think I was just being mean. Cold." She nodded toward the snowman. "Saying what I said last time… but… it wasn't. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

Megamind looked up in time to see his nemesis attempt to blast the frozen monster with laser vision. His rays went right through without effect, and it kept coming.

"Well, what were you trying to do?" he asked, lowering his eyes to the gun trained on the iced up door.

"I was… I was trying to help you."

"Help me?" he repeated incredulously. "How was that supposed to help?"

Now Metro Man made an attempt to fly through the monster himself, but when he shot out the other side the beast only laughed as the hole refilled with snow.

"I couldn't tell you about the story that Dan assigned me to. But I wanted to try to get you to… try harder."

He glanced back at her. "Try harder?"

"Yeah. So he wouldn't start assigning me to other stuff."

"What's so bad about that? I assumed you'd welcomed the challenge. The variety." He couldn't quite keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Roxanne was silent for a moment. "I like my usual beat," she quietly admitted.

His eyes grew wide. "Why on earth didn't you just tell me what was going on?" he turned around to question in earnest.

"Because!" she answered. "I knew you'd get mad. I just knew it. I knew you'd step in and mess with those guys and ruin my story! Because, ok, I did want to do that story once I found out what was going on. I wanted to find out what they were up to and turn everything over to the police and stop them."

"Well, they almost 'stopped' you. And now they know you have all that information and pretty soon they're also going to be informed that you're not-" He stopped, thinking of Big Hannigan with disgust.

"Dead."

"Yes."

Roxanne looked at him, wondering if he knew any of the people involved personally. "What do I do?"

Megamind thought. He couldn't be the hero. But he still had influence in the right circles for this kind of thing. Or rather, the wrong circles. "I'll take care of it."

That was all he said, but it was all he needed to say. Roxanne knew she would be all right.

With the danger from the storm removed, news helicopters were now hovering as near the humongous snowman as they dared, gathering footage for breaking bulletins and tomorrow's reports. Visibility wasn't going to be quite as bad as he had thought, but they were out of time to move to a better location for the live final act and here he was still dressed in the suit he desperately didn't want to be seen in and Metro Man still apparently clueless that the beast was homing in on Roxanne right down at his side at street level. It was close now, very close, almost on them, and would scoop her up before the hero knew what was going on. Actually, he probably wouldn't think to stop it, assuming that's what was the script without knowing the details of what she'd already been through. But seeing as how she already looked like a limp rag, the frustrated blue villan just didn't have the heart to see her put through yet more that day.

"Megamind," she suddenly said.

He turned to look at her.

"I like my beat. But." She stopped, her eyes searching his. "Look, I know it's hard… but it can't be about you and me." It was the closest she was willing to come to talking about what they could never talk about. "It can't be."

He turned away again. He knew what she meant and he knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to reply. He could make sure underworld drug lords never bothered her again. He would certainly make sure Big came nowhere near her, but he couldn't be the hero in his own evil scheme. It was a loss anyway. Firing up the defrost gun, he blasted a red hot beam at the hovering hero's left shoulder to get his attention. The burst of energy that could destroy a car barely shifted the flying figure, but Metro Man turned and spotted the two of them at last.

Returning his attention to the snowman, he flew down beneath it and lifted it off the ground, flying higher and higher. Its mission thwarted, the monster roared and waved its snowy appendages until it froze hard in the thin air far above the city. Then the city's savior crushed it in a massive explosion of blocks and chucks and spicules of ice and snow that rained down to the ground, creating a mountain that blocked several city streets for weeks. It had been the greatest and most destructive snowman Metro City had ever seen and would be talked about for years to come.

Megamind sighed as Metro Man flew down to hover before them. "Having car trouble, little buddy?" the huge man smirked, picking up Roxanne and taking off again. "Better luck next time," he called back.

Eyes locked on his, Roxanne looked back over the hero's massive shoulder as he watched her being whisked out of reach, farther and farther away, getting smaller and smaller until she was gone. He looked down at the gun in his hands and frowned... and gave the invisible car a vicious kick.

"Oow..."

And that was the end of his great winter scheme.

* * *

A week later, a more relaxed blue alien was once again settling down to his afternoon espresso, comfortably spooning copious amounts of sugar into the bitter liquid while listening to the afternoon news. Roxanne was praising Metro Man's clean up of the city. As she recalled the final moments of the gigantic snow beast highlighted by clips gathered from the station's helicopter, Megamind took a sip of his dark drink and began tapping at a keyboard.

Minion lumbered into the room carrying a basket of laundry. "Oh, what a fetching jacket Ms Ritchi is wearing."

Curious, Megamind glanced up.

"That's not her usual style," the fish mentioned thoughtfully. "But I like it. Kind of looks familiar."

"Metro City is finally beginning to recover," Roxanne was saying. She paused to pull the front of her new coat a little closer, looking directly into the camera. "Everything is thawing," she remarked and then paused again. "Including the Ice Queen."

A slow smile spread across Megamind's blue face. The camera had panned behind her to a scene of children climbing and playing on a pile of ice and snow that marked the remains of his snow monster slowly melting in the warmth of the early spring sun, but not before he caught a good look at the leather jacket Roxanne wore. Black and sporting a furry trim, it looked warm and cozy beneath her sparkling blue eyes and a Mona Lisa smile that touched her lips.

Minion lifted a torn cape from the laundry basket. "I guess that explains this," he said. "You want to share with the rest of the class?"

His boss chuckled and grinned wider. "No, Minion, I don't. But I do have a brilliant new plan. And it's time to get to work!"

* * *

ART: Found ...art/Found-358740387

ART: Frozen five ...art/Frozen-five-375527067

_Sorry that was so long, but I hope you liked it! Please leave me a review. :) A word of encouragement? There's an epilogue in the works... might get here sooner with some fuel! ;) Thanks again, eleathyra! And thank you all for reading!_


	8. Epilogue

**There's a Looney Tunes reference in here that I added especially for my beta. Thank you for all your help, Nora. Megamind belongs to DreamWorks and Looney Tunes belongs (or belonged?) to Warner Bros and 'Crazy' belongs to Aerosmith and all the artwork for Frozen belongs to eleathyra. But the story belongs to me. ;) And I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

_Some weeks later…_

Megamind heaved a sigh watching Roxanne adjust that delectable confection of lace and silk with its tiny hooks and snappy straps designated by a singularly unworthy name, surmising that it had been a lot simpler to remove than it was to put on. The temptation to hinder her efforts by getting up and removing it again was forestalled by reminiscing over how they had gotten to the point of him lying in her bed watching her put it back on in the first place.

A late night kidnapping had seemed like just the thing to catch her off guard and kick off his latest scheme. Right about the time when the more respectable denizens of the city were settled on their couches, brains comfortably turning to mush, or sliding their tootsies between the sheets, expecting to catch a solid forty like good little boys and girls.

But not this little black duck, he thought, muscles quaking with anticipation more than cold as he stood with his back against the frigid bricks, waiting to break into her apartment. She was nowhere in sight through the balcony's glass doors, and he smiled. Not one to be lured into a stupor by the boob tube, his sharp little reporter. He'd have been disappointed to see her on the couch and not because it would have made sneaking in a lot trickier. It was only after he'd jimmied the lock and slipped inside that he heard the steady whoosh of water and questioned his decision to be quite so unpredictable.

Running a bath. This late? What if she was already in the tub? Could he bust in and… no.

Well, how long was he going to wait? What if this was one of those bubbly, girly affairs that lasted for hours? The thought of sitting idly, spinning the barrel of the de-gun while she splashed about made his shoulders slump with a groan. Then, just as he was beginning to reconsider his plans, the water stopped. A muffled tread approached to soft strains of music. Slipping around a corner, he pressed himself tightly to the wall and listened.

_You turn it on… then you're gone… yeah, you driiive meee… crazy, crazy, crazy…_

That song. His smooth blue brow knotted between his eyes. He had a love-hate relationship with that tune. It was a little too apt. And he ought to have a copyright to those lyrics. Where did some longhaired rocker get off writing words like that? _I feel like the cooo-loor bluuuuue…_ Phfft.

And why, after all, did she have it on her playlist?

His features softened. Wait, maybe… Maybe she'd been thinking about him? A little?

Instantly frowning again, lips moving in silent self-castigation, he recognized his perpetual weakness surfacing once more. He braced himself and recommitted his attention to the sounds of her moving around the kitchen, then slowly peeked one green eye around the corner, nose pressed to the wall.

There she was. In her robe; a rather brief little number of cream satin that revealed an awful lot of leg. Obviously _not_ expecting company, he slyly grinned. Watching her move, swaying to the music, quietly singing along, he noted the funny little smirk pulling at one corner of her mouth, and his green eyes narrowed.

As she sashayed lazily over to the fridge on her bare feet, his gaze was drawn irresistibly to the play of the light across the gleaming fabric she wore. It traveled in a shimmering arc down her back as she grasped the handle, swayed to the left, and then leaned back and pulled the door open. It slid down further, interrupted by the sash at her waist as she bumped her curvy hips to the right, paused, and then to the left, and continued to shift back and forth across the swaying swells as they rolled side to side with the repetition of the song's refrain. Her body dipped with the beat. The hips swung side to side again, and she bent down…

Suddenly aware of the tip of his tongue exploring the wall near his cheek he pulled a face, snapping his mouth shut as he eyed the wet spot he'd left behind. He swiped at the spit but forgot all about the taste of paint as he glanced back at his quarry and did a double take. The satiny hem had risen as she stooped, baring a shocking amount of skin up the backs of her thighs.

He turned back and plastered himself tightly against the wall, willing away the hot and cold sensations lighting him up like a pinball machine, simultaneously galvanizing his flesh and turning his legs to rubber.

_All right. Nothing to lose your head over. She… hasn't gotten in yet. That's good, right? Yes. That's right. There'll be no sitting around playing with your gun tonight! _The mental image summoned by that particular thought made his cheeks burn all the way to his ears_. Argh, focus, you idiot!_

It took a moment for him to recall exactly what he was supposed to be doing. But then he remembered. And decided it would only be judicious to figure out just how far was it to the refrigerator. He would have to chance another glance. Merely to appraise the distance, of course.

There was a bottle of wine on the counter now and a block of cheese. And a satiny sleeve was falling back along one pale arm reaching high up into a cupboard for a glass.

_Hmm, red. Zinfandel? Never mind that. Twelve feet. Give or take. _

About to withdraw again, he hesitated over the way she was straining on the tips of her bare toes. Eyeing them with his lower lip between his teeth, he tried to bite back a smile.

_Stop it._

Whipping back into place and blowing a silent breath from between pursed lips, he depressed the button on his watch that would signal his henchman to cut the power. The apartment went black.

Springing into action in less time than it took his quarry to register the electrical outage, he leaped from his hiding place and bounded across the space between them. Twelve feet, more or less. With eyes better adapted to darkness than mere human sight, he caught and pinned her wrists, wrapping them securely in the usual nylon rope as handily as a rodeo star roping a newborn calf, and spun her around - the work of but a few moments punctuated only by scuffling and startled noises from his unsuspecting prey.

And then the lights were back on.

"Yes!" he crowed, pointing into her face. "Bagged again! You never saw that coming! Oh ho, I totally owned you that time!"

Roxanne's alarm quickly morphed into begrudging amusement as she watched the unexpected intruder gloat over his little triumph. He is way too easily impressed with himself, she thought, shaking her head and half expecting to see him start strutting around, flapping his elbows. Or beating his chest; there was just no telling.

"You have to admit, I _am_ good!" he insisted, pride shining from beneath half-hooded eyes as he folded his arms over the blue bolt on his chest and nodded. "Come on, come on. Admit it." With a superior smirk, he waited for the acknowledgement he was certain he deserved.

Roxanne's crooked smile was underscored by a quiet huff. "Well," she commented. "At least you're entertaining."

Megamind's smugness faded. "Entertaining?" he gaped, determined not to pout outright. "Entertaining! I am _not_ en-ter-taining... " He stepped closer, crowding her back against the cabinets that hugged the fridge. "I am _dominating_ here, woman," he insisted. "Terrorizing. Terrifying! Cower before me!"

His indignant effort to be intimidating was interrupted by the scent of her hair, warm and sweet, apparently wafting straight into his flared nostrils. And while she was snorting at his ridiculous command, he was being transported back to a snowy sidewalk and the memory of his face nestled against the top of her head, feeling those brown strands tickling his cold blue nose. He had a sudden urge to rub the end of it.

But Roxanne was still joined in battle, one cool eyebrow raised like a flag.

"No… " she opined flatly, "Your fashion sense is terrifying." Then looking him up and down as far as was possible in the extremely abbreviated space between them, she added with devastating levity, "But your nose is pretty cute."

Megamind's eyes grew wide.

"And from this close, that goatee…" She paused, tipping her head from side to side as she calmly appraised the thickness of the black stripe in question mere inches from her eyes. "It kind of reminds me of the fur," she murmured. "On a certain cape."

He drew back, fingertips raised to his chin.

"I'm sure you know the one I mean."

Megamind stared. Of course he knew.

And she knew he knew.

Dropping his hand and clenching his fists at his sides, he turned and paced away with short, agitated steps. "We're not supposed to talk about that," he hissed in frustration before stopping and narrowing his eyes at her from over his shoulder. "You are the most horrible tease," he complained, turning back around with a heavy swish of his cape, barely resisting the urge to stamp his foot. "Absolutely shameless."

Roxanne's eyes turned to crescent moons as her chuckling laugh bounced lightly around the room. "Yeah?" she asked, leaning back and resting an elbow on the counter behind her with a startlingly provocative glance. "And what are you going to do about it?" she murmured in a sultry challenge.

Nothing, that was what. He could do nothing. He must maintain the status quo and that left her safe as houses even in nothing but the briefest of garments standing right before him with her hands tied behind her back!

Clearly she was enjoying flaunting the power she held, and he had to admire in some sense her ability to drum up such an attitude when she was undeniably the victim in the scenario.

Or was she?

He was the one who was helpless. He was the one who couldn't act. He was the one whose figurative hands were tied! But as he stood there looking at her, bug-eyed over the revelation of just how intertwined and convoluted their roles really were, he caught a glimpse of red lace.

Making herself as comfortable against the countertop as she could with her hands behind her back, one curvaceous hip canted to the side and a knee peeking forward from between the edges of her robe as it rode lazily up along the side of the other leg, she struck a pose that was at once self-possessed and strangely inviting. Clearly she was as assured of her inviolability as she could be.

But that satiny garment had slipped, unbeknownst to her just how much, parting and falling over one of those smooth round globes jutting above the little belt tied in a bow at her waist, exposing a vaster expanse of creamy skin than he'd been privy to before. And most searing of all… the very article of clothing he had drooled over and denied himself the pleasure of pilfering from her drawer was peeping from the edge, mocking him, while she looked on with an undeniably teasing and yet pitying gaze.

_And what are you going to do about it?_

In the time it took to make two purposeful strides, he caught a glimpse of her smug expression turning startled before he took her face in both of his hands, lifting her chin with his thumbs in order to kiss the heck out of her hard on the mouth.

Her body tensed as his lips pressed into hers, but no sound escaped her. He stepped closer, pinning her with the entire length of his body along hers until there was nowhere left to go, aware of those foreign curves pressing alarmingly into his stick straight leanness. But no struggle ensued.

The toes of one pale foot braced against the floor. Tapped at it. And then stopped.

With a final emphatic push, he broke the seal between their lips loudly, lifting his pointed chin to look down on her. "That!" He glared. "For a start."

Roxanne's blue eyes stared back, as round as possible. Luckily he still had her face in his hands or she would have fallen to the floor. But besides releasing her lips, he refused to budge another inch until he'd made his point. She was messing with the wrong alien. Playing with fire. Pushing him too far! And by the look on her face as they stood sharing the same air, she knew it. Now. But he waited anyway, keenly aware of the rise and fall of her breasts against his chest and of every breath leaving her parted lips warming his. Waiting for her to push him away.

Waiting.

But she didn't.

He'd never been this close to her before. Her face was out of focus, he was so close to it. And drifting closer he realized as the tip of the nose that she had carelessly declared 'cute' grazed the freckled curve of her cheek. From under his lashes he could see the color of his own bright skin blending in a way into hers, the boundary between them blurred, and there seemed to be a tangible magnetism in the miniscule void left between their lips.

"Don't tease me," he suddenly said. The hushed warning vibrated between them, sounding too much like a plea.

And then… he felt her mouth dot his. Touching his blue skin as if by accident. Had he imagined that lift of her chin? He held his breath, watching her watching him... until she lightly but deliberately touched him again, her lips slowly flitting across his like silk skipping over leather. Curious and needful at the same time.

His fingers slipped deeper into her hair as he answered with a brush of his own, and then proceeded on with far more gentleness than that first punishing crush, wanting to preserve the fullness he'd been staring at in each careful pulse instead of smashing it into painful oblivion. If she was going to let him.

And apparently… she was. She still wasn't pushing him away. Or decrying him as alien or despicable or horrifying or… or even rebuking him for crossing the line.

The line had been crossed. And good.

And it had been _so _good, he remembered as he lay in her bed, just finally giving in. And not being turned away. Letting go of his fears little by little until for once he knew that he was wanted as much as he wanted. Because deny it as he did, he wanted her so much it made him ache. Brows furrowed, he kissed her from one side and then tipped his head to kiss her from the other, and then returned to that first angle, seeking satisfaction that couldn't be realized quickly enough. But she was kissing back. Straightening up. Engaging every move he made.

It was admittedly an ungraceful beginning once they were past that first sweet breakthrough. Barely restrained from a frantic mauling in fact. The release of years of pent-up denial was only slightly less than completely overwhelming. And for him, added to that the fear ingrained in him from his very beginnings that he would face rejection at any moment caused him to be a much less suave lover than he'd imagined himself being. But with the eventual realization that she really wasn't going to stop him, he began to take more time over it all, still holding her face but more carefully until one hand slipped down, following her arm, finding her waist, pulling her in tighter.

And now he was lying in her bed, watching her moving about in not much more than that pretty bit of red lace that he'd once been tempted to keep as a souvenir and that had in the end pushed him beyond the boundaries to which they'd once held fast, beyond sacrosanct barriers into newly hallowed ground.

And such a lovely piece of lingerie it was. He chuckled as he eyed it openly and murmured, "Booby traps."

Standing at the closet, Roxanne turned her head to smirk at him before continuing on with her task of selecting an outfit for the day.

Caught up in the new experience of… well, everything about her, Megamind had just been relaxing his hold of Roxanne's face and sliding his hands down her arms, surprised to find that she was still tied up and having forgotten about his sidekick waiting down in the machinery room of the building too. Until Minion had checked in, of course.

"Sir? Sir!" came the anxious half-whispered call.

Pulling away from the ever-deeper dance of their mouths, he looked around, startled, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What? I mean-"

"Did you get her?" squawked the voice from his multi-functional wristwatch.

It actually took a moment for him to locate the source of the noise, buried as it was at that point in chestnut hair. The thinking areas of his brain were obviously not functioning very well.

"Oh! Uhhh…"

_Yes, I did,_ a little voice in his head immediately gloated. Think, he told himself, looking into Roxanne's amused blue eyes and resting his forearm against the upper cabinets behind her head. Hopefully the spikes wouldn't mar the finish. "-uuh, no. No, she's… not here."

His clandestine partner let a disparaging snicker slip through her pert little nose, and he checked her with a silent shush, brows drawn together above his pursed lips. "I – I thought I saw her, but she must be busy… with something else… somewhere."

Roxanne lifted an eyebrow, wholly unimpressed with his attempts at subterfuge. But she smiled nonetheless.

"Oh." The henchman's voice sounded appropriately disappointed. "Disappeared again, huh?"

"Yes," he lied, eyes traveling over her face, more aware of her body pinned between his and the cabinets than whatever he was saying. "How dare she."

Roxanne was examining his chin again.

"I hope it's nothing serious this time," Minion said just as their lips brushed.

"Hhh, t's serrus." It was surprisingly difficult to speak clearly while tripping over somebody else's mouth. But Roxanne seemed to want to find out just how well he could respond in the face of increasing distraction. And given the techniques she was using, he wasn't going to interrupt her little experiment.

"What?"

"…nthing…"

"Sir, are you eating something?"

"Uh… huh… knd of…"

"What are you doing? Raiding the fridge?"

There was no answer.

"Sir…?" the poor fish sounded puzzled and a bit frustrated. "Are you ok?"

He pulled away with a sigh. "Just concentrating here," he answered impatiently.

"I'm coming up."

"No!"

"No? What's going on? I've been waiting for you to call. It's been, like, ten minutes. More. And there's spiders down here."

"W-uhh-m…" Megamind fumbled.

"Yeah, and my arms are getting tired," Roxanne murmured.

"Shh!"

"Who was that?"

"That was me," he assured his fishy friend in a higher tone. "Of course! Just me! My… arms aaare tired… from… waiting for her." He grimaced as Roxanne silently laughed.

His usual sharpness had been overcome and undone. The intense awareness of her skin and her scent and her warmth, the soft gleam of her hair and eyes and that shimmering robe hugging her curves… not to mention what was underneath… everything about her, so close. He was a little dazed. He was touching her. Holding her. Kissing her. He could feel everything about her.

He stood there listening to Minion and knowing he ought to be coming up with some kind of better cover story, but instead he sighed, looking at Roxanne with a contented little smile, not even caring that she was laughing at him. To him, the temporary lapse of his presence of mind was perfectly reasonable. And he simply couldn't gather his thoughts beyond what was happening in that tiny space next to her refrigerator to care. Didn't even want to.

"Well, how long are you planning to wait for her? Can't I just come up now?"

The words barely registered as he nuzzled along the peach of her cheek and felt the muscles under her skin tighten with her smile. She rubbed her nose along his blueness in return, and as one kiss was pressed against his smooth bare cheek and then another, his gaze dropped to the creamy mounds rising from above the edge of the red bra pressed tight against his chest. "Um. No."

"No?"

One fingertip, black as night, snuck up and softly traced an invisible line down her throat to the valley between those pillowy hills. Suddenly it stopped, ending in a thoughtful tap. "Believe it or not… she booby trapped the apartment."

Clapping a hand quickly over Roxanne's mouth he stifled her groan just as it began to slip out. Grinning into the blue eyes regarding him from above the back of his glove they heard Minion express his considerable surprise. "You're kidding! I can't believe it!"

"I know."

"How'd she know we were coming?"

"I'm not sure, but I– ow!"

"Oh! What's going on? Be careful, Sir!"

A nip to the fingers that had restrained her amusement effectively removed them, and Roxanne narrowed her eyes at the scolding finger wagged silently in her face, watching the accompanying half-hearted scowl drift away as that same finger lifted her chin so her blue amour could further contemplate her lips. "Yes, it's… She's a tricky one! It's going to take me some time to extricate myself from these snares…"

"Do you need me to come up and help you?"

"Uh heh... No… I don't think so. Wouldn't want you to get caught up in her little traps too." Roxanne shifted. "Look, Minion. Why don't you just take the rest of the night off? I'll find my own way home."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes. A nice long walk under the stars would do me good anyway. But in fact, seeing as how she's decided to be such a naughty little minx," his black eyebrows lifted her way, "first I'm going to leave her a few surprises myself."

"Ah," Minion responded with appreciation. "Great idea, Sir! Two can play that game, eh!" He did love practical jokes. "But you don't want me to come up and help…?" The poor fish sounded a little crestfallen at being dismissed.

"Not this time, Minion. Head on home. And don't wait up. This will take a while."

Roxanne listened as they signed off, waiting until everything was quiet again before asking, "So are you going to untie my hands or what?"

Her alien captor regarded her thoughtfully. "Oh, I don't know," he murmured before leaning back to pull her away from their cramped space against the cabinets and up against himself instead. "Would you really want me to? I mean… I wouldn't want to tax your overdeveloped sense of propriety," he drawled, sliding his hands around her waist. "Removing the only means you have left of recusing yourself of being a willing party to all this. Forcing you to accept _some_ responsibility for-"

Roxanne butted in. "Untie my hands, you dork."

And with a grin, he had.

* * *

"Do you have to go to work _every_ day?"

Roxanne smiled to herself as she pulled on a blouse. "Ye-es. It' s just one of those things normal people do."

"Oh, you are definitely _not_ normal," he purred eyeing her from where he lay, hands clasped behind his head.

The unfortunate choice of words hit him just as she snorted in reply. "That's… not exactly a compliment."

Megamind grimaced and rolled his eyes, sitting upright. "You know what I meant."

Roxanne turned to look at him, ogling the bare blue chest before she tossed a couple things from a drawer onto her bed. She began buttoning up her blouse while walking over and contemplating the sobering reality of the city's baddest criminal genius - an alien no less - lying in it. And what had happened between them. As she was fastening the last of the buttons at the top, he reached out and began unbuttoning from the bottom up while she adjusted the collar.

"Yes," she admitted, watching him squint slightly at the tiny fastenings, working as fast as he could, "I do. But that doesn't change the fact that it's time for me to go to work." She pushed feebly at his hands, not stopping him at all. "And time for you to get out there and do some work too. Go… menace something. Make some news. Get me a story."

She tried harder to get his hands away from her shirt, but he already had most of it undone again. Quick work for nimble fingers. She had been impressed with his nimble fingers… and now they were sliding inside her shirt, around her waist, and over her hips, trying to pull her down. Hands that were strong and slender and very smooth.

"I've got your story right here, baby."

She almost giggled but smothered it by kissing him instead. "And make it good."

He held her tighter. "Don't you mean bad?"

"Actually yes." With the next kiss she started feeling frisky again. Playing with fire seemed to have that affect on her. And he looked like nothing if not a naked blue flame in her bed. Their tongues met but she pulled away to whisper, "Be very, very bad…"

"Why, Ms Ritchi… I think you like it when I'm very, very bad."

"…mmm… I do… Way too much."

His hands were teasing her top away from her shoulders again. Aware of what he was doing and still able to summon at least a token will to resist, she rather ineffectively wrestled his hands whlie her mind mostly focused on the feeling of his lips on hers.

"I'll do some menacing for you…" Grasping her hands, he sat forward to murmur into her ear since she had finally drummed up the determination to turn her mouth away. "Right here."

She looked in his eyes and granted him a kiss. Then another, and another. She kept telling herself just one more as one blue hand reached up to stroke its fingertips down the side of her neck and then down further... tracing the edge of her bra... until she sat suddenly on the edge of the bed. Seeing her begin to pull on a pair of sheer tights, he sighed loudly. "Come on… stay. Play hooky. It's fun to be bad, isn't it."

Roxanne smiled to herself, carefully unrolling the stretchy fabric up her leg. "I wouldn't know. I'm on the good guys' side, remember?"

"Oh really?" he purred, scooting up close behind her. He watched the sheer black nylon slide over her thigh with his chin nearly resting on her shoulder. The sight of her pale skin enveloped in his favorite color turned him on even more, and he wrapped his hands around her waist, mumbling against her ear, "I seem to recall you being all over _both_ sides last night… and don't try to tell me you didn't have fun…" He was tickling the firm ridge of her ear just right, judging by the way her shoulders lifted, tensing without pulling away from him any more than she had the night before. "… sleeping with the enemy."

Roxanne made no reply as she finished with the legwear other than to sit still for a moment, wrapping her hands over his as his arms slid further around her, hugging her where she sat.

"Call in sick for once…" His voice coaxed in a slow rumble as he placed a series of kisses up the side of her neck.

Her eyes closed, acknowledging his potent efforts, melting under the caresses of those lips she once thought she'd never know. Part of her was already given in. "But I'm not sick."

"…so?"

"…so… lying is wrong."

"Phfft!" he scoffed. "Rules are made to be broken. I should know."

She shook her head with a smile as he continued. "And once you break them, there's no going back, you know... Not really…"

He was practically purring over her now, sure of his powers of persuasion and the end he was about to accomplish. Again.

"But I have a job to do." She escaped him simply by the suddenness with which she stood up.

"You're not still working on that other story are you?" he demanded.

Her blue eyes narrowed. "Nooo. There isn't a story anymore. Apparently someone got to those men and did horrible things to them." One eyebrow lifted with undeniable significance.

"Oh… really?" he replied, lying back again with calculated casualness, fingers laced behind his head. The sense of power he felt recalling how he'd tied up the loose ends of their problem of a few weeks previously made him grin. It had been a pleasure in fact.

"What a shame. Well then, I guess there's nothing to stop you from staying home today, hmm? Since your number one source of news is right here taking the day off work too. And I can think of sooo many other things we could get up to today that would be so much more fun… than work."

She looked down at the sheet covering him. "Like camping?"

Glancing down at himself he laughed. "Or pole dancing. Or limbo! Or-"

She laughed along but had to protest. "Come on…"

"You know, I could just make it so you can't leave," he suggested with a touch of his usual menace, removing his hands from behind his considerable head as he sat up again. "What if I close the roads?"

"I'll take a bike."

"I'll slash the tires of every bike in the city."

"I'll take a helicopter."

"I'll shoot them all down."

"Then I'll walk."

"I'll… rip up the sidewalks!"

Roxanne laughed. "I'll telecommute if I have to, but I'm going to work!"

He smiled. Eliciting her laughter was gratifying even though he was disappointed that she continued to be so stubbornly devoted to her job. "Well, if you're determined to go, I guess we'll just pick up again later," he conceded with resolute hopefulness, tenacious optimism.

Roxanne stood ominously still for several seconds, her smile fading away before she walked over to slip on her shoes. Looking thoughtfully out the window, she wiggled her toes into place and then softly broke his heart. "You know it can't be like that."

Megamind felt his mouth go dry.

"This was fun and… I really did have a good time." She looked down at her feet, her feminine mind automatically considering whether the shoes she'd picked were the proper completion of her outfit but mostly feeling like a heel, unwilling to look him in the eye. "But this was a one time thing."

"Why?"

Turning around, she saw he'd gotten out of the bed and was standing next to it, sheet wrapped around his impossibly trim midsection. The emerald eyes that had looked into hers in ways she had not expected the night before now looked lost. She felt cruel, cold. But it exasperated her that he was making her feel that way too. It should have been him leaving as soon as it was over, having gotten what he wanted… right? He was the bad guy, not her. At the very least this conclusion should have been as obvious to him as it was to her. She glanced down at her shoes again and then quickly out the window once more, needing to stop looking at those big green eyes.

He had been afraid it would be like this but felt more afraid of thinking too deeply about the possibility and ruining the enjoyment of their evening with pessimistic brooding. It _had_ occurred to him in the course of their night together, but… He'd dared to let himself want more; hope for more.

When she looked back again and saw him still standing there, watching her, she relented a little, going over with a sigh and putting her palms against his chest. Kissing him.

He grasped the crumpled sheet in one hand in order to put an arm around her. "I enjoyed you so much."

"I enjoyed you too… but…"

He cringed as much at her troubled expression, seeing she was upset with him, as at her continued attempts to give him the brush off. This wasn't going to end well. "I wanted-"

"We're opponents." She talked right over him, cutting him off. "We have to be."

"We made a pretty good team last night," he tried again.

"Megamind…" Her tone was gentle but uncompromising, and she looked at him solemnly. "We both know the rules."

After a pause she began to pull away, but he tightened his arm. "Then what are we doing here right now?"

She blinked. "I was just… thanking you for the rescue."

It still irked him to hear her call it that. The discomfort he felt was inexplicable but undeniable. "It was _not_ a rescue!" His sleek brows gathered like thunderclouds over his troubled eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you that-"

She stopped his tirade by pushing her lips against his, and he latched onto the opportunity to convince her to stay, pressing the issue in a silent but heated exchange. Feeling her hands moving appreciatively over his bare shoulders, he suspected he might have won right up until she withdrew with startling unexpectedness.

"Ok, it wasn't a rescue," she conceded, taking a step back. "And we didn't have sex last night."

"Whatever you say."

The hoarseness of his voice told her that as much as he wanted to stake his claim to their union, he was willing to agree to nearly anything to please her. To make her reconsider. The emerald eyes were liquid heartache.

Reaching out and touching his face with genuine affection, she felt a deep regret. Not over having given in to the intense but forbidden attraction she felt or having given herself for the night to this man who was the nemesis of the city she served and an almost daily annoyance to her personally, but over the effects of it. She had had no idea it would be like this. For her or for him. Part of her really wished things could be different.

Turning away, she grabbed her purse. "I have to go."

Just as she reached the door, he called out. "Roxanne."

She stopped and looked back. Holding his gaze, she could have counted the number of beats her heart made while she tried to think of what to say. "Megamind…" She froze, bracing herself do what had to be done. "Lock up when you leave."

Lock up. Lock up the apartment. Lock up the emotions. Lock up. The words sounded much colder on his ears than her soft voice had pronounced them. His eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint.

"You started this," he accused her. "You broke down the door. Don't think you can just tell me to close it up again so easily, Ms Ritchi."

He sounded angry, but all she felt was sad. So she left.

Standing there staring at the closed door, suddenly aware of the empty hum of the apartment now that she wasn't in it, he felt as naked and out of place as he really was.

He looked down at the bed, images of everything that had happened in it flooding his mind but seeming unreal. The flash of anger had deserted him as quickly as it had flared up, along with all its power. Leaving him empty.

Slowly he shuffled over a few steps to reach for a pillow, thoughtlessly observing the way his blue fingers began to disappear in its fluffiness when he picked it up. He pulled it to his bare torso, seeking some small measure of comfort, something to hold. It smelled like her. Which did nothing but intensify the pain in his chest.

He'd never felt so alone. More alone now that he'd been with her and she was gone than when he'd never been with anyone at all. He almost wished for Minion and immediately felt embarrassed for having such babyish thoughts. Slowly he walked over to the window, holding the pillow to himself in one hand and gripping the sheet that trailed away behind him to the bed with the other.

He stared outside, seeing nothing. It was the brightness of the sunshine that registered first, burning his raw emotions. His throat felt tight.

Spring. It was definitely on the way. Such a muddy, slushy, indefinite time of year. But there was no stopping the natural progression of the seasons, no matter how much power he held over the weather. It couldn't be winter forever. The thaw was inescapable.

Spring… when a young man's fancy turns lightly to thoughts of-

His face grew hard and spinning around he slammed the pillow onto the rumpled covers with a frustrated grunt. Then slumping down on the end of the bed, he buried his head in his hands.


End file.
